Demographic and Economic Changes 1790-1860
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Transcript of Demographic and Economic Changes 1790-1860
Demographic and Economic Changes 1790-1860Chapter 9
Increased Population and Westward
MovementGrowth in size of the country from 13 states (1790) to 33 states (1860)
Population growth 4 million (1790) to 30 million (1860)
More people began moving west of the Appalachian Mountains (after 1790) and west of the Mississippi (1820)More people began to move into cities
Even in 1860 most people still lived in rural areas, but the number living in cities was increasing rapidly
Increased Population
Population Moving West
Westward MovementFrontier life not glamorousFrontier not barren/completely vacant
French/Spanish going back to 1600sNative Americans
Environmental impact of westward expansionBluegrass in KentuckyNo more forests in the Midwest/New England
Changes in climateNew animals, plants
Immigration and the New Immigrants
Beginning in the 1830s, 1840s number of immigrants began to increase dramatically
Immigrants began to come from new countries “New Immigrants” Ireland and Germany
What’s significant about the new immigrants?
New countries—not just EnglandNew religion—especially Roman Catholicism
What’s the problem with Catholicism?Large number of poor immigrants
Irish ImmigrationPush and pull factors for immigrantsPush
Potato faminePoverty in IrelandReligious and political oppression by the British
PullEconomic opportunity in the USReligious tolerance
Areas of settlement for the Irish: Northeastern cities, why?
German ImmigrationPush
Religious intolerance in German statesEconomic problemsWarfare and forced military service
PullReligious tolerance and economic opportunity in US
Not all German immigrants were Catholic (about half)German immigrants tended to be wealthier (left more for pull reasons than push)Areas of German settlement: More dispersed, throughout the Northern US (modern Midwest especially)
Increased Immigration: The New Immigrants (Irish and German)
Anti-immigrant ReactionNative-born Americans (Native Americans) resented new immigrants, why?CompetitionNew cultures/ethnicitiesNew religionsNo Irish Need ApplyKnow-Nothing Party, American Party
Irish and German Immigrants met with hostility in America
Stereotypical view of the Irish
Irish Stereotypes: II
Irish Stereotype: III
Impact of ImmigrationGrowth of cities fueled by immigrantsMore immigrants located in Northeastern cities meant more workers for factories—industrializationImmigrants changed the nature of politics
Political Machine
Major population growth in the North, not as fast in the South, tensions. . . .?
More political power for the North, how?
Cultural contributions
Technological AdvancesThe cotton gin: Eli Whitney
Effects on Southern economyEffects on Slavery
McCormick’s mechanical reaperInvented by Cyrus McCorkmickBrought mechanization to farming out west
Market economy came to US agricultureNot just growing food to survive—subsistence farming—or for local consumption, US farmers were now involved in the worldwide market for agricultural productsPros, Cons?
Telegraph: Samuel Morse—increased communicationSteam Engine
Allowed for the mechanization of factories, ships, trains
Innovations in TransportationRoads 1790s
National Road (Cumberland Road)—federally financed road, most roads were privately financed, or state financedTurnpikes—privately owned roads
Canals 1820s1850sEerie Canal 1825 connected Great Lakes to Hudson River, made NYC important trade centerCanals built linking navigable rivers to cities, inland areas, lakes, other rivers
Steamboats 1810sRobert Fulton and the Clermont 1807Made two-way travel on rivers easier
Railroad 1830sAdvantages over canals and roadsBy 1860 30,000 miles of track in US but ¾ in the North
Significance of man-made east-west transportation links
Growth in Roads, Canals, and Railroads
Industrialization Industrial Revolution began in England in the late 1700sFirst factory in US, Samuel Slater, Pawtucket RI 1791Spread of factories in US slow 1790s-1820s
Hard to find workersOpposition from governmentCompetition with foreign industry
Embargo Act of 1807, War of 1812 helped facilitate the growth of US factories, how?
Protective tariffs beginning in 1816 helped protect industry
Where would industry be located?Middle States and New England became the main centers of industrial production
Impact of IndustrializationMarket Economy for US workers
Independent shopkeeper done away with (slowly over time) replaced by wage laborers and the factory systemMore efficient, more goods produced (richer country) but less independence for the worker, also worse working conditions
Women and children in the workforceLowell and Lawrence Massachusetts first experimented with employing large numbers of women outside the home—women could be paid less
Reinvigoration for the NorthEver since election of 1800 North had been decreasing in political and economic importance to the South and West, industrialization changed thatMore economic power, more political power
Political TensionsNorthern business owners didn’t want westward expansion, why?Different economic systems meant political competition N vs S