Chapter 14: Forging the Chapter 14: Forging the National Economy, 1790-1860National Economy, 1790-1860

In the first half of the 19In the first half of the 19 thth century the century the United States was growing at a rapid United States was growing at a rapid

rate. The population was moving west rate. The population was moving west and the national economy was thriving. and the national economy was thriving.

Westward MovementWestward Movement

Conestoga WagonConestoga Wagon The West offered opportunities The West offered opportunities and new questionsand new questions

REASONS:REASONS:

1.) Native Americans being 1.) Native Americans being driven off their landdriven off their land

2.) New land to replace soil 2.) New land to replace soil exhausted by years of farmingexhausted by years of farming

3.) War and embargo caused 3.) War and embargo caused people to move people to move

4.) Transportation improved: 4.) Transportation improved: roads, canals, RRs, and roads, canals, RRs, and steamboatssteamboats

5.) Immigration by Europeans5.) Immigration by Europeans

Missouri CompromiseMissouri Compromise

Population GrowthPopulation Growth

Between 1800 and 1825 the Between 1800 and 1825 the population doubledpopulation doubled

Between 1825 and 1850 it Between 1825 and 1850 it doubled againdoubled again

High birthrate and immigrationHigh birthrate and immigration

By 1830s almost 1/3 of the By 1830s almost 1/3 of the population lived west of the population lived west of the AllegheniesAlleghenies

Ecological ImperialismEcological Imperialism: : exploiting the bounty of the exploiting the bounty of the WestWest

Growth of cities = unsanitary Growth of cities = unsanitary conditionsconditions

Alleghany MountainsAlleghany Mountains

Transportation Transportation

RoadsRoads: By the 1820s, roads : By the 1820s, roads connected most of the connected most of the country’s major cities. country’s major cities. National (Cumberland) Road National (Cumberland) Road stretched from MD to IL. stretched from MD to IL.

Interstate: Within more than Interstate: Within more than one stateone state

Intrastate: Within one stateIntrastate: Within one state

National (Cumberland) Road National (Cumberland) Road

TransportationTransportation

CanalsCanals: The Erie Canal was : The Erie Canal was constructed from 1817-1825 constructed from 1817-1825 and linked the frontier to NYCand linked the frontier to NYC

Boomtowns: Rochester, Boomtowns: Rochester, Buffalo, Lockport, Syracuse Buffalo, Lockport, Syracuse and Uticaand Utica

Stimulated economic growth Stimulated economic growth and soon more states built and soon more states built canalscanals

Improved transportation meant Improved transportation meant lower food prices and more lower food prices and more immigrationimmigration

Erie CanalErie Canal

Rochester and the Erie CanalRochester and the Erie Canal

Erie Canal and RochesterErie Canal and Rochester

TransportationTransportation

Robert Fulton’s Clermont. The Robert Fulton’s Clermont. The World’s First Successful World’s First Successful

SteamboatSteamboat

SteamboatsSteamboats: began in 1807, : began in 1807, with the with the Clermont Clermont on the on the Hudson RiverHudson River

Makes transportation on the Makes transportation on the nation’s rivers faster and nation’s rivers faster and cheapercheaper

RailroadsRailroads: built in late 1820s, : built in late 1820s, more rapid and reliable. Soon more rapid and reliable. Soon competing with canals. competing with canals.

Boomtowns: Cleveland, Boomtowns: Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit and ChicagoCincinnati, Detroit and Chicago

ImmigrationImmigration

From 1832 on that number of From 1832 on that number of immigrants coming to the U.S. immigrants coming to the U.S. increased dramaticallyincreased dramatically

1830s-1850s nearly 4 million 1830s-1850s nearly 4 million arrive in the U.S.arrive in the U.S.

Most arrive in Boston, NYC, Most arrive in Boston, NYC, and Philadelphiaand Philadelphia

WHY?WHY?

1.) Ocean transportation was 1.) Ocean transportation was improving – faster and cheaperimproving – faster and cheaper

2.) Reputation of U.S. for 2.) Reputation of U.S. for opportunity and freedomopportunity and freedom

3.) Famines and revolutions in 3.) Famines and revolutions in EuropeEurope

The IrishThe Irish

Irish immigrants leaving for Irish immigrants leaving for America, 1846America, 1846

During this period (1840s and During this period (1840s and 1850s), roughly half of the 1850s), roughly half of the immigrants came from Irelandimmigrants came from Ireland

Potato famine!Potato famine!

Faced discrimination upon Faced discrimination upon arrival in U.S. (Catholic, arrival in U.S. (Catholic, competition for jobs)competition for jobs)

Eventually entered local Eventually entered local politicspolitics

Joined Democratic PartyJoined Democratic Party

Organized fellow immigrants to Organized fellow immigrants to join join

The IrishThe Irish

““The Usual Irish Way of Doing The Usual Irish Way of Doing Things”Things”

By Thomas NastBy Thomas Nast

Irish Famine Memorial, BostonIrish Famine Memorial, Boston

The GermansThe Germans

Economic hardship and failed Economic hardship and failed revolution (1848) caused revolution (1848) caused Germans to seek refuge in the Germans to seek refuge in the U.S.U.S.

Skilled as farmers and artisansSkilled as farmers and artisans

At first their political influence At first their political influence was limited, but later they was limited, but later they became more active in public became more active in public lifelife

Strong supporters of education Strong supporters of education and anti-slaveryand anti-slavery

The GermansThe Germans

NativistsNativists

Native born Americans were Native born Americans were alarmed by the influx of alarmed by the influx of immigrantsimmigrants

Job competitionJob competition

Catholic vs. ProtestantCatholic vs. Protestant

Weaken Anglo majorityWeaken Anglo majority

This leads to sporadic rioting in This leads to sporadic rioting in big citiesbig cities

The Order of the Star-The Order of the Star-Spangled BannerSpangled Banner

American Party or Know American Party or Know Nothing Party Nothing Party

NativistsNativists

Growth of IndustryGrowth of Industry

At the start of the 19At the start of the 19thth century, century, a manufacturing economy had a manufacturing economy had barely begun. However, by barely begun. However, by midcentury, manufacturing had midcentury, manufacturing had surpassed agriculture in valuesurpassed agriculture in value

By the end of the century, U.S. By the end of the century, U.S. manufacturing was the world’s manufacturing was the world’s leaderleader

A combination of factors led to A combination of factors led to thisthis

Growth of IndustryGrowth of Industry

Mechanical InventionsMechanical Inventions: : inventors looked to patent new inventors looked to patent new machines that made work machines that made work faster and easierfaster and easier

In 1793 Eli Whitney invented In 1793 Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin and during the the cotton gin and during the War of 1812 he devised a War of 1812 he devised a system to make rifles out of system to make rifles out of interchangeable partsinterchangeable parts

Growth of IndustryGrowth of Industry

Factory systemFactory system: first U.S. : first U.S. factory est. in 1791 thanks to factory est. in 1791 thanks to Samuel Slater. He smuggled Samuel Slater. He smuggled secrets from Britain for cotton-secrets from Britain for cotton-spinning machinesspinning machines

The Embargo Act, War of 1812 The Embargo Act, War of 1812 and tariffs helped stimulate the and tariffs helped stimulate the economyeconomy

New England leads the way New England leads the way with its water power and with its water power and seaportsseaports

Banking and insurance Banking and insurance businesses growbusinesses grow

Growth of IndustryGrowth of Industry

Textile Mill in Lowell, MATextile Mill in Lowell, MA LaborLabor: Competition with lure : Competition with lure of cheap land out Westof cheap land out West

Textile mills in Lowell, MA Textile mills in Lowell, MA recruited young womenrecruited young women

Child laborChild labor

Toward middle of the 19Toward middle of the 19thth century, immigrants were century, immigrants were being widely employedbeing widely employed

UnionsUnions: Trade or craft unions : Trade or craft unions formed, shoemakers and formed, shoemakers and weaversweavers

Wanted to reduce workday, Wanted to reduce workday, but there was much oppositionbut there was much opposition

Cotton and the SouthCotton and the South

Throughout the 19Throughout the 19thth century century the main cash crop was cottonthe main cash crop was cotton

Eli Whitney’s invention of the Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin transformed the cotton gin transformed the SouthSouth

Slavery increased and land in Slavery increased and land in AL and MS was used for AL and MS was used for growing cottongrowing cotton

Most of the cotton went Most of the cotton went overseas to Britain overseas to Britain

Market RevolutionMarket Revolution

Urbanization, industrialization, Urbanization, industrialization, specialization on the farms and specialization on the farms and the birth of modern capitalism the birth of modern capitalism brought many changesbrought many changes

Farmer fed urban workers and Farmer fed urban workers and urban worker provided mass urban worker provided mass produced goods for the produced goods for the farmersfarmers

Producer culture to consumer Producer culture to consumer cultureculture

Standard of living increasedStandard of living increased

New challenges and problemsNew challenges and problems

WomenWomen

As American society became As American society became more industrialized, work more industrialized, work changedchanged

Women were either in Women were either in domestic service or teachingdomestic service or teaching

Most working women were Most working women were single, married stayed at homesingle, married stayed at home

Less arranged marriages, less Less arranged marriages, less childrenchildren

Still lacked many rights Still lacked many rights (suffrage)(suffrage)

Cult of domesticityCult of domesticity: women as : women as household caretakers/moral household caretakers/moral leaders and educatorsleaders and educators

Economic and Social mobilityEconomic and Social mobility

Gap between rich and poor Gap between rich and poor growsgrows

Social mobility did exist and Social mobility did exist and opportunity was better than in opportunity was better than in EuropeEurope

SlaverySlavery

Many felt that as the 19Many felt that as the 19thth century began, slavery would century began, slavery would gradually disappeargradually disappear

Importation of slaves banned Importation of slaves banned in 1808in 1808

Rapid growth of cotton industry Rapid growth of cotton industry increases the “need” for slavesincreases the “need” for slaves

No clear answersNo clear answers

What do we do with western What do we do with western lands?lands?