other major u.s. industries mr. leasure american history buckeye local high school
TRANSCRIPT
Impact of Railroads
• As railroads were built across the nation, they helped provide the key to the success of cattle ranching.
• The ranchers shipped their cattle to large Midwestern cities such as Chicago.
Impact of Railroads
• In these cities, the meat-packing industry began to do well in the late 1890s.
• The leading meat-packing industry leaders included Philip Armour, Gustavus Swift, and Nelson Morris.
Impact of Railroads
• Cattle and hogs were slaughtered for meats and meat by-products.
• These products were transported to all parts of the country in refrigerated railroad cars.
Impact of Railroads
• The leaders in the construction of new railroad lines in the late 1800s included Cornelius Vanderbilt and James J. Hill.
• Vanderbilt linked a number of short railroads in the Northeast, creating America’s first great railroad system – the New York Central.
Impact of Railroads
• Hill developed the Great Northern Railway System to the Northwest.
• Hill encouraged immigrants to settle in that region by teaching them the newest farming methods.
Impact of Railroads
• Hill founded schools and helped to start businesses that could provided different types of employment and services.
Inventions change America
• Americans have always been proud of their ability to invent new machines and tools.
• The period after the Civil War was an exciting time for U.S. inventors.
Inventions change America
• Some of the most important inventions used in the U.S. today were invented at this time.
• Many of these inventions were made by Thomas Edison.
Inventions change America
• Edison was known as “The Wizard of Menlo Park.”
• Many believed him to be a wizard because it seemed he had magical powers with his many inventions.
Inventions change America
• In 1876, Edison started a research laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey.
• Edison brought scientist, engineers, machinists, and even clock makers together into this one laboratory.
Inventions change America
• He organized these many individuals into a team to produce things the public and businesses would need.
• Edison boasted he could create a minor invention every 10 days and create a major invention every 6 months.
Inventions change America
• The indoor light bulb was one of Edison’s finest inventions.
• At the time, few cities used outdoor electric lighting to light the streets at night but the methods was not safe indoors.
Inventions change America
• Most people continued to use oil and gas lamps to provided light inside the home.
• After 2 years of working on a solution, Edison and his team found the solution for safe indoor electric lighting.
Inventions change America
• Edison also invented the first Phonograph in 1877. A phonograph is like a record player.
• The first words were spoken in a phonograph were “Mary had a little lamb.”
Inventions change America
• Edison improved Alexander G. Bell’s early telephone too.
• When using Bell’s telephone, people had to yell into the phone to make certain the person on the other end could hear them.
Inventions change America
• Edison’s improvements to his phone allowed people to talk at a natural level instead.
• Edison invented a successful motion picture machine and gave his picture sound by joining the motion picture with his phonograph.
Other Important Inventions
• Bell invented the telephone in 1876.
• George Eastman simplified the Kodak camera in 1880 so that more people could take photographs.
Other Important Inventions
• Lewis Waterman perfected the fountain pen in 1884.
• Ottmar Mergenthaler invited an improved typesetting machine that would make typesetting much easier for newspapers and book publishers.
Other Important Inventions
• Elisha Otis invented the elevator, which made the construction of skyscrapers more appealing.
Other Important Inventions
• Henry Ford experimented with gasoline-powered automobile engines.
• Ford also developed an assembly line method for building cars cheaply.