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The Incorporation of America. Special Thanks to Ms . Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley HS, Chappaqua , NY, & Lara Boles, Parkway West. After the Civil War, the United States was still largely agricultural.
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The Incorporation of America Special Thanks to Ms. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS, Chappaqua, NY, & Lara Boles, Parkway West
After the Civil War, the United States was still largely agricultural. • By the 1920’s, a mere 60 years later, it had become the leading industrial power in the world! • Three Main Factors Contributed to this Industrial Boom: • wealth of natural resources • explosions of inventions • growing urban population (provided cheap labor and markets for new products) The Expansion of Industry
In 1859, Edwin L. Drake used a steam engine to drill for oil near Titusville, PA. This removed oil from beneath the earth’s surface and started an oil boom throughout the nation. • Entrepreneurs began to transform the oil into kerosene (lamps/heating fuel) • Gasoline became the most important product of oil after the automobile became popular. The Expansion of Industry - Oil
In 1887, prospectors discovered iron ore in Minnesota. • The Bessemer Process was developed by Henry Bessemer and William Kelly around 1850. • Used a technique which involved injecting air into molten iron to remove the carbon and other impurities to transform it into steel • This made steel stronger at a lower cost – better to withstand pressure, hold, and be more secure and durable • By 1880, manufacturers in the U.S. were using this method to produce over 90% of the nations steel. The Expansion of Industry- The Bessemer Steel Process
Steel Makes Farming Easier • The Increase in farming efficiency means less farm workers are needed • This sends the nation’s laborers to the cities to look for jobs • A new class of Americans is created: City-dwelling working class
Railroads were the biggest customer for steel. • Steel made innovative construction possible • Brooklyn Bridge – completed 1883 • Home Insurance Building – in Chicago • Skyscrapers – invention of elevators and internal steel skeletons • Growth of Cities • Reasons: job/immigration • Effect: more workers/more people to sell goods The Expansion of Industry- New Uses For Steel
Andrew Carnegie • Gets start in RRs – enters Steel Market in 1873. By 1899 – manufactures more steel than all in GB combined
Andrew Carnegie • Reasons for success: • Management practices – searched for cheapest ways to make products • Incorporated new techniques, technology to improve quality • Sought most talented people – offered stock and encouraged competition among workers • Tried to control industry – used vertical integration • Bought out all his suppliers • Attempted horizontal integration – controlled up to 80% of steel industry
Andrew Carnegie “To sum up, do not drink, do not smoke, do not indorse, do not speculate. Concentrate, perform more than your prescribed duties; be strictly honest in word and deed. And may all who read these words be just as happy and prosperous and long lived as I wish them all to be. And let this great fact always cheer them: It is impossible for any one to be cheated out of an honorable career unless he cheats himself.” – Carnegie
Carnegie’s Philanthropy • "The man who dies rich dies disgraced," • You should be able to make as much money as you want if you give back • created 2,800 free libraries worldwide. • Carnegie Hall and other arts venues – money still supports them today • Carnegie Mellon University
Alternate Current Nikola Tesla George Westinghouse
Alternate Current Westinghouse Lamp ad
Thomas Alva Edison “Wizard of Menlo Park”
Thomas EDISON MANY MANY INVENTIONS! • Direct Current vs Alternating Current • Why is the invention of the light bulb so important? • Allows factories to be open all night long. • Invention of the “3rd Shift” • Another invention that continues the change in America from the Farm to the City
The Airplane Wilbur Wright Orville Wright Kitty Hawk, NC – December 17, 1903
Inventor Christopher Sholes Alexander Graham Bell George Westinghouse Orville & Wilbur Wright George Eastman (Kodak) Thomas Edison Invention • Typewriter (1867) • Telephone (1876) • Railroad air brake (1868) • Airplane (successful flight 12/17/1903) • Camera (1888) • Light Bulb Inventors and Their Inventions
Causes of Rapid Industrialization • Unskilled & semi-skilled labor in abundance. • Abundant capital. • New, talented group of businessmen [entrepreneurs] and advisors. • Market growing as US population increased. • Government willing to help at all levels to stimulate economic growth. • Abundant natural resources.
New Business Culture • Laissez Fairethe ideology of the Industrial Age. • Individual as a moral and economic ideal. • Individuals should compete freely in the marketplace. • The market was not man-made or invented. • No room for government in the market!
“Free and unfettered competition breeds the best product at the lowest price.” -Monopolies are bad in an economy. -However, too many laws, tariffs, and regulation choke business. -Therefore it is up to the government to ensure that monopolies do not exist, but not interfere too much into the economy.
Consolidation through “Merger” • Stock Market buyout of a public business • Use of intimidation or shady business tactics to ruin the business of a private company • Sometimes Mergers are executed by “Holding Companies” –a company whose sole purpose is to purchase stock in other companies How does Business get “BIG?”
How does business get “BIG?” • Consolidation through formation of “Trusts” • -Participating companies would turn their stock over to a group of “trustees” (people who ran the separate companies as one large corporation) • -Each company would then split the profits made by the entire Trust.
Negative term for Businessmen and bankers who: • Dominated their respective industries • Obtained huge personal fortunes, as a direct result of unfair business practicesor undue government influence. Robber Barons How to be a “Robber Baron” -Achieving great Personal wealth -Changing the economic landscape by creating and using new technology -Conflict with the government over unfair monopolies (anti-trust suits) -Optional Fourth Criteria: Sell your company and become a Philanthropist Political Cartoon Critical of Andrew Carnegie’s Philanthropy
New Business Culture:“The American Dream?” • Protestant (Puritan) “Work Ethic” • Horatio Alger [100+ novels] Is the idea of the “self-made man” a MYTH??
New Type of Business Entities • Pool1887Interstate Commerce ActInterstate Commerce Commission created. • Trust John D. Rockefeller • Standard Oil Co.
John D. Rockefeller • Standard Oil • employed tactics that made him a legend. Imposing his own discipline on the industry, he bought up rivals, modernized plants and organized the oil industry on an enduring basis • Gave away over $500 million • Rockefeller foundation • University of Chicago
John D. Rockefeller • Rockefeller had a droll, genial personality that masked supreme cunning and formidable self-control. • colluded with railroads to gain preferential freight rates, secretly owned rivals, bribed state legislators and engaged in industrial espionage. • Large profits – didn’t pass along to workers • Low wages and undercut competitors • After controlling market hiked prices back up • Gained rebates and kickbacks from RR companies
New Type of Business Entities • Trust: • Horizontal Integration John D. Rockefeller • Vertical Integration: • Gustavus Swift Meat-packing • Andrew Carnegie U. S. Steel
John Pierpont Morgan • Made his fortune in banking and financing • took over other people's businesses and hated competition. • Known for cut-throat business practices • wanted to absorb their competition by forming giant trusts and monopolies – felt price wars were ruining American economy • Would sell "watered," or over-valued, railroad stock to the public. When people found out their stocks were worth less than they thought, they sold them at a loss, and the railroad went bankrupt
New Financial Businessman The Broker: • J. Pierpont Morgan • Purchases Carnegie Steel---U.S. Steel • Combines Edison Electric (DC) with Westinghouse Electric (AC) to create---General Electric (GE)
The Reorganization of Work Frederick W. Taylor The Principles of Scientific Management (1911)
The Reorganization of Work The Assembly Line
Model T Automobile Henry FordI want to pay my workers so that they can afford my product!
Cornelius Vanderbilt • I have been insane on the subject of moneymaking all my life.—Cornelius VanderbiltYou have undertaken to cheat me. I won't sue you, for the law is too slow. I'll ruin you.—Cornelius Vanderbilt • Law? Who cares about the law. Hain't I got the power?—Comment alleged to have been made by Cornelius Vanderbilt, when warned that he might be violating the law
Cornelius [“Commodore”] Vanderbilt Can’t I do what I want with my money?
William Vanderbilt • The public be damned! • What do I care about the law? H’aint I got the power?
Regulating the Trusts 1877 Munn. v. IL 1886 Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad Company v. IL 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act • in “restraint of trade” • “rule of reason” loophole 1895 US v. E. C. Knight Co.
Labor Movement • If business leaders could consolidate to become more powerful, why shouldn’t workers? • Common abuses by employers: (NO labor laws at this time) • 6 & 7 Day work week • 12 or more hours a day • No sick leave, no reimbursement for injuries sustained on the job, no protection against being unduly fired • In 1882 average of 675 workers KILLED EACH WEEK! • This is why UNIONS form: workers organize to act as one: Boycott, Arbitration, Strike Efforts to Fight “Robber Barons”