XXVIII The Changing North & West

1. A. Industry 1.Geography is major determinant in lives of people a. By 1800 most farm land fully exploited in north, b. People look for other forms of income 2. 1820-1860 Factory production in U.S.booms a. Before 1820 i. most Americans made own clothing ii. industry on small scale with local artisans and craftsmen b. 1820-1860 Textile manufacturing becomes U.S. leading industry i. Most textile mills located in New England & Mid Atlantic ii. abundance of rivers and steep countryside for waterpower c. English lead in production of textiles i. immigrants brought information on factory production ii. 1813 Francis Cabot Lowell & Paul Moody devised power loom iii. brought spinning & weaving together, cut price on production iv. All over New England towns started Lowell mills XXVIII The Changing North & West

2. v. Those who don't convert focused on quality d. Other industries follow lead of textile manufacturing i. water power makes lumber, cures hides, wheat ii. Factories start in towns with at least 200 people B. Transportation 1. Geography continues to play an important role 2. Canals a. Water still the cheapest form of transportation b. links bodies of water increase speed, lower cost c. 1825 Erie Canal i. Started by New York in 1817 ii. linked New York to Lake Erie iii. Opened Ohio Valley to the east iv. From Albany to Buffalo 363 miles 3. Steam boats

3. c. by 1811 first steam boats on the Ohio River d. by 1830s cheapest & most plentiful form of transportation 4. Roads a. Most rivers run north & south west of the Appellation Mts. b. travel east and west most difficult c. entrepreneurs invest in building private roads i. hope government will buy them out ii. toll booths to cover cost, rarely make profit 5. Railroads a. 1820s first start to appear b. cheap to build expensive to maintain c. Private individuals could build for profit d. most in New England to 1850s

4. C. New Industry demands changes in Education 1. By 1800 several states using tax money to supplement education 2. Massachusetts leads nation in Education (old Puritan tradition) a. 1827, first to fully support public schools from taxes b. 1836, required all children to attend school i. 3 of past 12 months before working in a factory 3. Curriculum established a. 1837 Horace Mann reforms Mass. schools i. establishes idea of graded schools ii. uniform curricula (required subjects) iii. teachers training (creates profession) b. Mann sells business on idea of an educated public i. fostered habits essential to productive work force ii. helps educate to run complex machinery

5. 4. Increase in published materials a. power machinery used to make paper b. Libraries before 1830 sign of prestige c. 1850 common people could buy books i. magazines deal with practical and intellectual issues 5. Business needed educated and disciplined workers a. Clocks change the world i. farmers and artisans went to work whenever they wanted ii. factories needed workers to show up and work together iii. clocks advance work culture but oppressive to workers b. Laborers in the factory i. Child labor important in mid-Atlantic states http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/robinson-lowell.html (age of workers? Conditions? Income needed? Occupations?)

6. ii. New England used young unmarried women for short time a. 70% left farms easily, waiting for marriage b. 1st time women left home to work in large numbers iii. labor and management relations a. job discrimination practiced i. men only ones with supervisory positions b. Strikes i. only when wages or jobs threatened ii. usually during economic depressions iii. 1st at homes then at businesses

7. A. Demographic changes in American population distribution 1. Growing Urbanization a. before 1820 9% of Americans lived in cities (over 2,500) b. by 1860 20% of Americans lived in cities 2. Urbanization not uniform by 1860 a. 1/3 of all people in Northeast lived in cities b. 14% of people living in west lived in cities c. 7% of people in south lived in cities B. Three distinct types of cities emerge 1820-1860 1. Mill towns 2. Commercial Centers a. ports of colonial times, Baltimore, Boston, New Orleans b. New York gains new prominence with Erie Canal, largest city 3. Transportation hubs a. Chicago, inland port, railroads to west, lakes to east b. Cleveland, and St. Louis XXIX Urban Life

8. F. Family Structure changes 1. Woman's Sphere a. Women in colonial times seen as equal partners b. Women loose identity in city, not as much to do c. Writers depict women as the guardians of culture & morality i. men only seek material gain no matter the cost (providers) d. Women bond, claiming they share common characteristics i. many women build stronger friendships then marriages 2. Woman's role too demanding to be achieved a. new technology brought new standards of cleanliness b. women are expected to be perfect, men are given leeway c. women expected to stay at home & provide proper environment d. society discourages women from working i. many do piece work for a fraction of the pay http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/lguillo/Advice.txt (attitudes about sex? Class issue? Regional issue?)

9. 3. Children a. middle class children no longer needed to help with income i. Childhood viewed as a preparation for adulthood ii. to acquire values from mother & skills for business iii. Children's literature also abounds during period a. usually full of heavy handed moral messages b. Contraception practiced widely, large families not needed i. varies from abstinence & withdrawal to abortion a. abortion wasn't outlawed until 1860 b. women start to refrain as identity of pillars of virtue i. had no animal desire or passion ii. birth rate dropped especially in the northeast