Industrialization and Immigration

Before the Industrial Revolution

Goods were made by hand in homes or workshops.

Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution came to America in 1790 when Samuel Slater built spinning machines to turn cotton into yarn.

Cotton Gin

In 1793 Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin. This made cotton cheaper to produce.

First Mill

In 1813 the first mill was built that handled all stages of cloth production.

Farming

McCormick’s reaper of 1832 and John Deere’s steel plow of 1837 made working on farms easier. The reaper could cut and harvest grain quickly so farmers could do up to 12 acres a day. The steel plow could cut through the tough roots of prairie grass.

Write in your notebook:

After the Industrial Revolution, goods were made by machines, often in factories.

Sweat Shops

Factory conditions were not always safe.

People were often injured or even killed working with new machinery.

Children worked in these factories working long hours for low wages.

Write in your notebook:

Sweatshops were crowded factories where immigrants worked.

Immigration

During the late 1800s and early 1900s millions of immigrants arrived in the United States from all over Europe.

Immigrants usually lived in crowded neighborhoods in America’s big cities such as New York City or Chicago.

They came to America with little or no money, often selling everything they had just to pay for their boat ticket to get here.

Write in your notebook:

Immigrants who came to the U.S. often had little or no money.

The first stop for many immigrants who came to the U.S. between 1890 and 1914 was Ellis Island.

Ellis Island

Before immigrants could be admitted to the United States they had to pass through Ellis Island.

They were questioned and examined by doctors.

Some immigrants were sent back to Europe, especially if they had a contagious disease.

Ellis Island was often called “Heartbreak Island” by the immigrants. Why?

Where do you think people moved during the Industrial Revolution? Many people left rural areas and went to

cities where there were factories to work.