Key Concept 4.2 - Innovations in technology, agriculture, and commerce powerfully accelerated the American economy, precipitating profound changes to U.S. society and to national and regional identities.
- How did new technologies expand production?
- How did the Market Revolution change the lives of Americans?
- How did economic growth accompany regional development?
How did new technologies expand production?
During this time, America experienced a market revolution. This had brought new transportation systems, communication networks, industrial technologies and agricultural technologies. All of these increased the rate of production and transportation of goods in their respective regions, but there was largely a disconnect of the Southern Cotton Kingdom from the rest of the countries economy.
For the Northern factories, the spinning Jenny and interchangeable parts greatly increased production. For the South, the cotton gin, steel plow, and McCormick Reaper had increased the speed of cotton production.
America's production increases were linked with new transportation and networks. The telegraph and morse code were prominent inventions which further connected America. In terms of transportation, the government had put subsidies into internal improvements, as in the American system. Such funds were given to create the National Cumberland road, the Erie Canal, and the B&O Railroad. Steamboats were also created during this time and helped navigate canals or go upstream in the Mississippi River. Although these transportation networks had greaty connected the Mid West with the Northeast, the South was largely left out from these networks, which were projects focused more on the North.
How did the Market Revolution change the lives of Americans?
In the North, many more men and women moved into factory work settings instead of the colonial times of small crafts and subsistence. This can be seen with the Lowell girls in the Lowell Mills. Many of the goods produced in these factories were transported to distant markets through the new transportation systems. This transition to the factory setting created a new socio-economic class revolving around poor laborers, middle class managers, and elite factory owners. There was significant wealth inequality between the laborers and elite despite an increasing standard of living.
Despite the earlier Lowell girls and women working in factories, that was mostly true for the low class laboring class. In the growing middle class, the expectation for middle class women was to stay at home. This idea of "Cult of Domesticity" was one that emphasized men in the working sphere and women in the house.
How did economic growth accompany regional development?
With industrialization and factories rising in prominence in the North, the Northern economy specialized in manufacturing. During the Irish Potato Famine, many Irish immigrants moved into these Northeastern cities to work as laborers. Their economy was linked greatly with the Mid West and the Ohio area. With a manufacturing base, the North had supported tariffs for their industry and further connectivity to the Mid West through internal improvements.
The South developed what was a Cotton Kingdom. They based their economy on slave labor and plantations. Although some of the raw cotton produced here were sent to Northern textile factories through the Mississippi, most of it was sold to the European market. The South's agriculture had much less benefit from the tariffs, and so many disliked tariffs as it ended up making them pay more. The South was also much less connected through the transportation networks and had waning support for internal improvements.
The Mid West consisted of smaller farm economies. Many of the people living on the Western frontiers had been German immigrants, and they were able to provide food to the Northeastern region through the transportation networks. The West had benefits from the transportation networks between them and the Northeast and continued to support internal improvements.
With all these different economies, the American system was used to foster a national unity and connectivity. This included a national bank, tariffs, and internal improvements. The North and West had supported the American system but the South did not due to the lack of benefits.