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