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Industrialization . America forever changed . Modernizing America . America was on a new horizon Before this time America was vastly different than today's society . Life before industrialization . There were no phones Cars No indoor electricity No refrigeration Communication was slow
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Industrialization America forever changed
Modernizing America • America was on a new horizon • Before this time America was vastly different than today's society
Life before industrialization • There were no phones • Cars • No indoor electricity • No refrigeration • Communication was slow • Standard of living was ok • It was fairly low in some areas
Industrialization • However, times begin to change in America • With new inventions and increase in technology, America would change from a good place to live, to the best place to live in terms of GDP • (Gross domestic product)
Things that changed peoples lives • Transcontinental railroad • Telegraph (communication) • Phone • Electricity (light bulb ETC.) • Steel • Use of Oil
Newest revolution technology • In 1860 • Only 36K patents issued to invent, use and sell an item • In 65-70 the standard of living in many places (SOUTH) was very low • By 1890 and 1900 • Over 500K patents issued • The standard of life in the United States was higher than any place in the world
Compare and contrast 1900 2012
Tech. –Railroad • Transcontinental railroad • Increased the standard of living for the people of the west • Speedy travel
Railroad negatives • Dangerous • terrible construction practices • Iron and wood • Early trial and error—uncomfortable rides • Trains caused America to develop their time zones (Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific)
Tech – Communication • Telegraph – perfected by Samuel Morse • Was first way to send electrical messages (20th century texts!) • Companies like Western Union laid 100,000’s of telegraph cable. • Almost a million by 1900
Tech – Communication • Telephone • (The most important thing a majority of you!!) • Created by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 • Founded AT&T • First words spoken on a phone • “Come here, Watson, I want you” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdIXoceFgk8
Thomas Edison • The man of a thousand of inventions • Know for the inventions of the phonograph and motion capturing device • Most known however for the Light bulb • He improved a design for the light bulb • In 1880 the bulb changed the modern world • Why?
Steel • Andrew Carnegie – owner and contributor to steel in America • Met a English man named Henry Bessemer • Had developed a new strategy for making cheap good steel • Called the Bessemer process
Process.. • Air burns out carbon from steel http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/35890-howstuffworks-show-episode-12-creating-steel-video.htm
Impact of steel • Trains were improved • Cities changed forever • Brought rise to the vertical cities • Sky scrapers
Electricity • By 1885, electricity had become more accessible • Street lamps • Refrigerators • Machine lines – mass production of things such as clothing
Beginning of Big Business • With the expansion of electricity and steel business practices in America began to change • Combinations of all the small businesses combined to form large companies
Two views • 1st – Robber Barons – these businessmen were viewed as “robbers” • They stole from the public by eliminating competition so they could jack up the prices
- 2nd –Captains of Industry • These were the positive business leaders • Viewed as someone who helped their country in a very positive fashion • Creating new ways to improve quantity of goods
Money makers • Carnegie, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt • Steel, Oil, railroad • Three of the richest men in American history
Andrew Carnegie • Lived in Pittsburg • Worked for the rail road in 65 – made 50K • Started his own steel company four years later • Created a monopoly on the steel company • Would be worth nearly 300 billion in 2007 • Bill gates is worth 59 billion…
Continued • Gospel of wealth • People should give away some wealth • Gave away 350 million by his death
Rockefeller • He created a monopoly on standard Oil • Formed his own company in 1863 • Was a cut throat businessman • Created a trust • What do you think a trust is?
Continued • He has a net worth around 310 billion dollars • Tiger woods earnings X 310
Cornelius Vanderbilt • He had a major hand in the rail road • He gained considerable wealth from the rail roads • He is the namesake of Vanderbilt University
Continued • His net worth today would be around 178 billion dollars • 3X as much as bill gates
The big three • Between the three men, their value today would be a staggering • 788 billion dollars • Fifteen times as much money as Bill gates has today http://www.pagetutor.com/trillion/index.html
Creation of new jobs • With all these innovations, thousands of jobs were created • Between the end of the civil war and 1900.. • 14 million immigrants came to America looking for jobs • More than half of these moved into cities • Why the cities?
Sherman anti-trust act • outlawed any combination of company or business act that would in return –create a monopoly • Was never enforced however
Child Labor • There were no restrictions on who could work at this time… • 10-14 hour shifts • Tiny hands could fit into hard to reach places • Awful working conditions • Toxic fumes and smoke
The work place • Description of your new job! • Working hours – 12 to 14 hours • Paid by production • You DO NOT get paid by the hour • To Women – you have 0% chance to advance to higher paying jobs • Would you take this job?
Work conditions • During the late 1800’s there were more than 600 deaths a week at the work place • NO • Sick days • Vacation • Overtime • Unemployment • 1899- women's wages were around 260 dollars a year, a mans would be around 490 dollars.
Labor Strikes • What is a Labor Union? • Late 1800’s –wanted better conditions for the workers, as well as a higher wage • Wanted to reduce the work day • Knights of Labor – formed in 1869, planned to Unite all workers –failure
Labor unions American Federation Industrial workers of the world “Wobblies” Opposed the AF Was put together for the unskilled workers • Founded in 1886 • Organized for only skilled workers
The strikes • Railroad strike of 1877 • Haymarket Riot • Homestead Strike • Pullman Strike
Railroad strike • 1st major work strike in America • Railroad companies cut wages • Violence occurs • Army brought in to end the riot • In 20 years there are over 24K strikes
Haymarket Strike • Workers wanted an 8 hour work day • Fight broke out between workers and scabs • Scabs are workers who are brought in during a strike • Bomb was thrown – 7 killed • Lead to a huge riot
Strikes • Homestead Strike • Caused from Carnegie steel cutting prices • People die as a result of riots • Pullman strikes • Last of the great strikes • George pullman cuts wages by 25%
Strikes • 120K railroad workers eventually joined the strike • Fed government had to intervene and get involved on strikes and working conditions
Employers views of strikes • Hate unions and the strikes • Forbid union meetings • Wouldn’t recognize unions • Forced new workers to promise not to join a union • Firing anyone involved in a union