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How did the U.S. become an industrial power?

Discover the factors that led to the industrialization of the United States, including abundant natural resources, immigration, capitalism, and more. Learn about the role of railroads, advances in communications, electric power, and the impact of industrialization on society. Explore the rise of the middle class, working class struggles, and the social and economic consequences of unregulated business practices.

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How did the U.S. become an industrial power?

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  1. How did the U.S. become an industrial power?

  2. I. Factors leading to Industrialization • Natural resources: abundant iron, coal, lumber, and oil • Americans were relatively well-educated • Immigration: growing population was a vital labor source • Creation of corporations – Americans contribute investment funds through stocks and bonds • Capitalism • laissez faire – government didn’t interfere • Downside: Social Darwinism; business limited competition through monopolies

  3. II. Railroads Improve Transportation • Before Civil War • short RR lines connecting nearby cities • After Civil War • nationwide network of RR • Gov’t land grants • Irish and Chinese immigrants • Time zones

  4. Transcontinental Railroad completed in 1869

  5. III. Advances in Communications • Telegraph system develops alongside RR • Samuel Morse perfects telegraph code by 1900 for personal communication • Bell’s telephone

  6. Alexander Graham Bell invents telephone in 1876

  7. IV. Electric Power • Thomas Edison makes electric power widely available • invents light bulb, central power station • Ice block refrigeration replaced by electric refrigeration

  8. Electricity creates new jobs • Electric sewing machine leads to a boom in the textile industry

  9. V. Bessemer Process • Easier and cheaper to mass produce steel • Brooklyn Bridge constructed in 1883 – connects Brooklyn and Manhattan • Flatiron Building completed in 1902 – NYC’s first skyscraper

  10. VI. Impact of Industrialization • Urbanization • Skyscrapers, bridges, department stores, tenements, declining birthrate, crime, pollution, • Agriculture  Industry • Improved standard of living • Leisure and recreation: Phonographs, bicycles, cameras, circus (P.T. Barnum), “Wild West” shows, sports, etc. • Middle class • Working class suffers • Poor conditions, low wages, long hours • Growing gap between rich and poor • No gov’t regulation  monopolies, unscrupulous business practices • Social Darwinism

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