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America, Chapter 12

America, Chapter 12. The Dynamics of Growth. 1. How is the country developing economically on both regional and national levels?. Industrial revolution in NE  urbanization Commercial agriculture (corn, wheat, cattle) emerging in West King Cotton  expansion of slavery in South

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America, Chapter 12

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  1. America, Chapter 12 The Dynamics of Growth

  2. 1. How is the country developing economically on both regional and national levels? • Industrial revolution in NE  urbanization • Commercial agriculture (corn, wheat, cattle) emerging in West • King Cotton  expansion of slavery in South • Transportation innovations  national market expanding

  3. 2. Identify the factors allowing agriculture to thrive in... • The South • Cotton moves through South as profitable crop • IR  spread of textile mills  increased demand • Cotton gin (Whitney 1793) allows for easier production • Becomes major export commodity, raises capital in both North and South

  4. 2. Identify the factors allowing agriculture to thrive in... • The West • Migration through OH River Valley and Great Lakes region • 1860: more than ½ of country lives across Appalachia • Prairies’ fertile lands draw farmers from rocky NE and exhausted SE • Lower land prices in West + state banks = easier to buy land on credit • Leniency of federal land laws favoring pre-emption and graduation • Development of effective cotton plows, mechanical seeders/reaper, threshers

  5. 3. What is the purpose of the Erie Canal? What effects does it have? • 1827: NY legislature authorizes governor’s idea to connect Hudson River to Lake Erie • Draws eastward the Midwest trade that previously went down through the OH and MS Rivers  ties together the West and East while further isolating the Deep South • Reduces travel time and cost of moving freight • Causes previously small towns to become major commercial cities • Renders the Great Lakes an “economic tributary” of New York City • Other developments in water transportation: river steamboats (bring two-way traffic to MS River Valley), flatboats, canal barges

  6. 4. What are the advantages and disadvantages to the development of railroads? • Canal development slows down after financial panic of 1837  shortly replaced by railroad development (1820s – 1850s) • Advantages: • Superior speed, carrying capacity, reliability (able to operate year-round) • Reduces cost of freight/passenger transportation • Encourages new settlement and expansion of farming • Creates market for iron and equipment • Disadvantages: • Corrupts political life (opportunity for fast profits) • Accelerates the decline of Native American culture • Speeds up “tempo and mobility of life”

  7. 5. What is the role of the state and federal governments in the transportation revolution? • Transportation improvements during antebellum era (before 1860) are financed by state governments and private investors • After 1837 panic, state governments mostly leave finance to private investors (but help with tax concessions) • Federal government does contribute • Buys stock in turnpike/canal companies • Extends land grants to western states to support canal and railroad projects • Reduces tariff on iron for railroad construction

  8. 6. What factors allow for a “communications revolution” in the nineteenth century? How much faster can information travel in the U.S.? • Communications revolution factors • Construction of turnpikes, railroads, canals • Establishment of post offices • Mail delivered by “express” (through horses between stations) • Still difficult to send news across the Appalachian Mtns. • Development of steamships and the telegraph • Increased rate of information transfer • 1799: Takes one week for news of Washington’s death to transfer from DC to NYC • 1815: Takes nearly fifty days for news to reach NY from Europe • 1830: Jackson’s inaugural address transfers from DC to NYC in 16 hours

  9. 7. What technological developments improve Americans’ quality of life? • Nineteenth century an age of American “practical inventiveness” • Research and innovation • Work on electromagnetism  telegraph system • Smithsonian established for “increase and diffusion of knowledge” • Quality of life differs along socioeconomic lines • Affluent have indoor plumbing, central heating, gas lighting, bathtubs, iceboxes • Lower-class have cast-iron stoves • Further developments • First sewer system, underground water lines • Machine-made clothing • Vulcanized rubber (stronger, more elastic) • Sewing machine (slows progress of factory system) • Telegraph

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