The Americas: Part II; Building Economies

1. The Americas: Part II;Building Economies Mr. Ermer World History AP Miami Beach Senior High

2. Building American Economies • Two common factors through Americas: migration & British $ • United States & Canada react well • Absorb migrants who eventually assimilate into culture/system • Exploit British capital for development of own nation/infrastructure • Latin America does not react in kind • Legacy of single export economy proves inflexible • Integration of migrants by plantation system, not factory work • Stronger legacy of slavery and indentured servitude

3. Migration • European and Asian migrants flood U.S. and Canada • Called by factory jobs, open land, railroad construction • Industrial migrants work in low skill, low wage factories—feed labor pool • Many build transportation infrastructure that connect far flung cities • Qing Dynasty encourages migration from China (population control) • Some leave as indentured servants, others pay own way seeking fortune • Also attracted to plantations & ranches of Latin America/Caribbean • Italians flood Argentina and Brazil as permanent migrants • Others migrate seasonally—”golondrinas” • Asian immigrants also seek agricultural work in Americas, Hawai’i • 15,000+ Chinese migrate to work Cuban sugarcane fields • 25,000+ Chinese migrate to work Hawaiian sugarcane fields • New peoples, foods, cultures, religions change American culture • Californian and Canadian gold bring rush of migrants, 49’ers

6. The United States • British capitalists seek stable, white governed outlets for investment • British monies help United States rebuild, industrialize after Civil War • Railroads help link nation, build national economy • Dense communication, transportation, and distribution network • Transcontinental railroad connect Omaha to San Francisco • Westward migration increases, allows further exploitation of resources • Standardization of time zones • By 1900, the United States is world’s biggest/richest economy • Inventors bring new products to market • High consumerism drives growth of big businesses • Labor Unions organize the working class, promote class interests/strikes

8. Prosperity in Canada • British pay high prices for Canadian agricultural goods • Prevents discontent, promotes high standard of living • British investment helps Canada industrialize • Transcontinental Canadian Pacific Railroad • U.S. investment also helps Canada to industrialize • Migration from Europe and Asia enhances labor pool • Canada grows rich on industrial, agricultural, and mineral exports

10. Latin American Economies • Latin America fails to industrialize like U.S. and Canada • Open to European trade and investment, exports drive growth • Britain takes control of Argentine meat industry, after refrigerated ships invented in 1860s, meat from Argentina supplies British appetite—benefits Argentina little • Latin America supplied raw materials to industrial powers • Rich elites grow richer through trade, economies never reformed • Latin America does not provide large market for manufactured goods from European countries, no incentive for control • Porfiriato Mexico attempts industrialization • Oligarchy and foreign investments benefit most • Working class resents low wages, foreign managers

12. U.S. Society • Multi-cultural society: “teeming nation of nations” • Conflict as different groups fight for rights, equality • Reservation Treaties w/ Native Americans not respected • Native populations pushed into increasingly cramped areas • U.S. law hopes to assimilate Natives into greater culture/society • Bureau of Indian Affairs, Forced attendance in Indian Schools • Attempts to end “Indian way of life”—killing of the Bison • Slaves freed after Civil War, but equality not guaranteed • After Reconstruction, civil rights for African-Americans rolled back in the South, “Black Codes” and “Jim Crow Laws” create rigidly segregated society • Women begin fighting for equality, Seneca Falls Convention • Anti-immigrant sentiment (anti-Catholic, anti-Semitic) • KKK, Know-Nothing Party, American League, White League • Ethnic neighborhoods develop (Chinatowns, Little Italy, etc.)

15. Canadian Society • French and British Canadians consider selves as “founders of Canada,” creating sharp political divisions • Euro-Canadians dominate Canadian society • Native Americans are substantial minority • Former Canadian slaves and escaped American slaves create an enclave of African-Americans • Chinese migrants work on Canadian transcontinental RR • Metis uprising and Louis Riel • Riel leaves seminary in Montreal, elected president of Metis government in Manitoba—government outlawed • Canadian troops move against Riel, committed to asylum • Canadian Pacific railroad threatens native lands, Riel leads new revolt • Northwest Rebellion, Riel executed

17. Latin American Society • Persistence of rigidly hierarchical society • Creoles, mixed race groups, indigenous and blacks on bottom • Asians migrate to Peru, Brazil, Cuba, and Caribbean • Indian migrants move to Trinidad and Tobago • Europeans migrate to Argentina, Buenos Aires most cosmopolitan city in Latin America, Havana second • Gauchos embody free range hopes of migrants, indigenous • Latin American even more patriarchal than U.S. & Canada