FORGING THE NATIONAL ECONOMY

1790-1860

I. Westward Movement Americans constantly pushed west, cheap land

opportunity First part of 19th century new immigrants joined

movement (Irish, Germans) New machinery allowed crops to be cultivated

quicker, goods produced faster, expectations for workers changed

New methods of transportation allowed goods, people and products to move quicker

Origins of market oriented economy

I. Westward Movement Jackson symbolized the rise of trans-Appalachia Raw frontier seen as typically American 1850 half of all Americans under 30 Seen as restless energetic, always on the move Demographic center of America had move steadily

westward Reality of pioneer life was grim (especially for women) Rugged individualism became part of national character-

Was this true?

II. Shaping the Western Landscape People molded physical environment Left behind fields destroyed by tobacco

cultivation Planted “Kentucky Bluegrass” from charred

canfields, 1820-1840 trappers, mountain men had

decimated beaver across the West Buffalo, sea otters were hunted into near

extension for their fur Ecological Imperialism- exploitation of

Americas natural bounty

II. Shaping the Western Landscape Many Americans revered nature American wilderness seen as unique to

many Europeans Wild unspoiled land one of the nations

defining attributed- move west you can always start over

Inspired literature, painting and by the end of the 1800’s a conservation movement

III. The March of the Millions Population doubling every 25 years By 1860 there were 33 states, 4th most

populous country in the world Urban growth- by 1860 there were 43

cities with more than 20,000 (1790 only 3)

Urbanization brought problems (inadequate public services, poor housing)

1823 Boston developed first sewer system, 1842 NYC first piped in water supply

III. The March of the Millions By 1840’s population growth comes from

immigration Most Irish and German What caused them to come to America? Europe had surplus of population, running

out of room America seen as land of opportunity Freedom of European class system Abundant, cheap land No compulsory military service

IV. The Emerald Isle Moves West

Mid 1840’s potato crop failure pushes many out of Ireland

1830-1860 2 million Irish come to the United States

Newcomers too poor to buy land, stayed in cities on eastern seaboard (NYC largest Irish city in the world)

Irish had to take worst jobs, poorest housing- viewed as a social menace

Competed with African Americans for jobs (Irish did not support abolition)

Formed Irish only clubs (Ancient Order of Hibernians, Molly Maguire's)

IV. The Emerald Isle Moves West

Irish acquired property and improved lives in America

Politicians wanted to cultivate Irish vote

Many entered politics and gained control of political machines (NYC Tammany Hall)

Dominated police departments

V. The German Forty-Eighters

1830-1860 over 1.5 million Germans immigrated to US

Uprooted farmers, political refugees German immigrants better off than Irish, had

more money Moved to Middle West, established farms Less political power, widely scattered population

V. The German Forty-Eighters

Germans more educated than Irish, supported public schools

Were not supporters of slavery

Fled militarism of Europe, became isolationists

Language, culture viewed as suspicious by many

Settled in colonies, separate from surrounding community

Brought Old World drinking habits (brought beer to America)

VI. Flare-ups of Antiforeignism Immigration inflamed anti-foreign

sentiment Feared they would take jobs, worried

about “popish” newcomers 1840’s Immigrants establish separate

Catholic school system, protect children from Protestant indoctrination

By 1850 Catholics largest single religious group in America

VI. Flare-ups of Antiforeignism

“Nativists” rally for political action, form Know-Nothing Party 1849

Wanted restrictions on immigration, easier ways to deport “aliens”

Promoted literature to expose foreigners (most of it untrue)

Mass violence 1834, Catholic convent burned

1844 Philadelphia nativists, Irish Catholics riot

Effects of immigration a. made America more pluralistic

societyb. Growth of economy really did not

jeopardize wealth of othersc. Labor of immigrants helped fuel

economic expansion

VII. Creeping Mechanization 1750 Industrial Revolution begins in

England with mass production of textiles End of muscle, animal power beginning of

machine power Slow to catch on in US cheap land, labor

scarce Capital in short supply, raw materials in

America were untapped 1840’s rise of immigration caused labor

pool to grow

VIII. Whitney Ends Fiber Famine

Samuel Slater from England steals plans for first textile machines

1791 first efficient machine for spinning cotton

1793 Eli Whitney invents first cotton gin (separates cotton fiber from seeds, 50X more effective than human labor)

Changed history of America made cotton growing profitable enterprise

VIII. Whitney Ends Fiber Famine

Slavery had been dying out Invention of cotton gin caused more acres to be

cleared -Cotton Kingdom moved westward (into AL, MS)

Cotton sent to mills in New England Factories were established in Northeast Little manufacturing in South, money tied up in

land and slaves

New England ideal for industrializationa) soil too poor for farming,b) dense population, markets availablec) shipping allowed for export of finished productsd) large poor immigrant population for labore) rapid rivers good for water powered mills

IX. Marvels in Manufacturing Consequences of embargo 1807 and War of 1812

was capital kept in America Used to invest in American manufacturing After war British flood America with cheap goods,

Tariff of 1816 attempts to protect American manufacturing

Eli Whitney develops idea of mass produced interchangeable parts for muskets, by 1850 became the basis of mass production

Most factories located in the northeast (industrial plant of America)

IX. Marvels in Manufacturing

1846 Isaac Singer, Elias Howe invent sewing machine (mass production of clothes)

Patents increased 306 in 1800, 28,000 1860

Legal status of business organizations changed

Limited liability principle allowed investors to invest in companies

Companies could concentrate capital Investment capital companies used in

textiles, railroads, insurance and banking 1844 Invention of telegraph (Samuel

Morse) brought world closer together (revolutionized exchange of information)

X. Workers and Wage Slaves Industrial Revolution end of

age of close personal relationships with boss

Spindle Cities grew up around factories to house workers

Hours long, wages low, poor working conditions

Could not form labor unions to improve life at work (criminal conspiracy)

Child labor a huge problem

X. Workers and Wage Slaves Wages did rise (1820’s-1830’s), growth of middle class

Americans More workers could vote Supported Democratic Party of Jackson Fight against all forms of privilege (Bank of US),

reflected anxiety about new capitalist economy 1840 Van Buren reduces work day for federal workers,

states eventually followed Workers gained right to strike but usually lost They could easily be replaced by workers “fresh off the

boat” from Europe Commonwealth vs. Hunt (1842), Mass; unions were

not conspiracies

XI. Women and the Economy

Women left farms, went to work in factories

Gave them greater economic independence

Lowell Mills (Mass.) seen as a model workplace for “factory girls”

Factory provided income, protected morality

Overall employment opportunities for women were scarce

Influence of Harriet Beecher Stowe, many women became teachers (feminized profession)

Vast majority of working women single

XI. Women and the Economy

Women married, left jobs Work as wives and mothers called “cult of domesticity”,

glorified functions as a homemakerA. Home was women’s sphereB. Love determined choice of spouseC. Nuclear family became closerD. Home was a refuge from the industrial worldE. Number of children per family dropped

Domestic feminism in the home, growing power and influence of women

New ideas of raising children, family more child centered, affectionate

Children raised by morals of “modern family” were good citizens

XII. Western Farmers Reap a Revolution in the Fields

Farms were changing the West Pioneer families planted corn, lots of it Staple market item, had many uses Western goods floated down Mississippi River Fed the south Western Farmers wanted to cultivate more

acres but soil hard to break up 1837 John Deere introduces steel plow 1830’s Cyrus McCormick introduces

mechanical reaper, could do the work of 5 men Farmers could plant more land, rise of large

scale cash crop agriculture for region Farmers became businesspeople, looked east

for a new market for their crops

XIII. Highways and Steamboats

Need for cheap and efficient carriers of products

1790’s Lancaster Turnpike first highway (charged toll and made a huge profit)

Turnpike building spurred western development, allowed for easy access to the West

Use of federal funds to build roads opposed by state’s righter's and Eastern states (fear of loss of population)

1811 Federal government builds Cumberland Road (finished 1852)

XIII. Highways and Steamboats

1807 Robert Fulton launches steamboat craze

Steamboats could travel upstream, against the current

Navigable rivers two way arteries of transportation

1820- sixty steamboats on Mississippi River

1860- over 1,000 Steamboats opened up West and South Goods could be shipped out cheaply,

quickly Bring in manufactured goods New population centers grew up along

the banks

XIV. “Clinton’s Big Ditch” in New York

Canal cutting craze 1817-1825 New York financed

building of Erie Canal, linked Great Lakes and Hudson River

Cost of shipping and time of transportation dropped

Value of land along canal went up, new cities (Rochester, Syracuse)

Interior cities population exploded (Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland)

Settlers migrated from northeast to Midwest

XVI. Iron Horse Railroad not limited by geography 1828 first RR in US 1860 30,000 miles of track, most

of it in north Faced opposition from canal

backers, considered as public menace

Problems overcome by technology- differences in gauge (as time went by became more standardized), improvements in brakes, Pullman sleeping car introduced (1859)

XVII. Cables, Clippers and Pony Riders

1858- first trans-Atlantic telegraph cable connected Europe and US

1840’S-1850’s- “Golden Age of American Shipping” Clipper Ships rapidly move freight across Pacific, eventually

replaced by steam powered ships 1860- Pony Express established, folded after 18 months

(telegraph better) Dying technology of wind and muscle power, replaced by

machines

XIV. The Transport Web Binds the Union

Before 1830 West linked to South by Mississippi River

Building of RR linked North to West, robbed Mississippi River of it’s traffic

NYC became major port of nation

Emergence of continental economy, each region specialized in economic activity

IXX. The Market Revolution Market Revolution transformed country from small, scattered

subsistence farmers and workshops into national network of industry and commerce

Questions over who should regulate economy? Who owns technology?

A. Supreme Court decisions sided with liberal state laws that encouraged greater competition in the marketplace “rights of the community”

Self sufficient households transformedA. Wage earners went to work, made money and purchased

manufactured goodsB. Home became a place of refuge from work, separate sphere

for women Gap between have and have-nots grew, greatest in cities Rising wages and middle class helped diffuse potential conflict

between classes