After the Civil War

1. After the Civil War 1877-1918

2. Four main areas of change • Rise of American Industry: The development of new machines led to the rise of factories and mass production. Factory workers eventually formed unions because they were often mistreated by their employers. The public did not agree with unions at first, but in the early 1900’s, attitudes began to change.

3. Four main areas of change • Immigration and Urbanization: People flooded into cities in search of jobs and wealth. Immigrants were attracted by dreams of a better life. Cities grew so rapidly they could not deal with their problems.

4. Four main areas of change • Settlement of the Frontier: Wilderness areas began to disappear as settlers and farmers moved West. Native Americans were forced off their traditional lands and moved onto government reservations.

5. Four main areas of change • The Progressive Era: Americans adopted reforms to deal with the worst abuses of the new industrial society. The Progressives were horrified at the increasing inequalities that had developed in America between the wealthy and the poor, and set out to correct them.

6. Essential Questions: • What factors led to the emergence of America as an industrial giant? • How were workers affected by the rise of industry? • What factors led to increasing immigration to the United States? • How were Native Americans affected by the movement west? • What reforms were introduced by the Populists and Progressives?

7. The Rise of American Industry • Before the Civil War, most people lived and worked on farms. • During the Industrial Revolution, people began producing things in factories. • In the period following the Civil War, the United States emerged as one of the world’s leading industrialized nations.

8. Remember this????? • The economic system of the United States is free market, or free enterprise. • Do you remember what this means??? • Wealth is privately owned in businesses in the hope of making a profit. Consumers are free to choose what they wish to buy.

9. Causes of Industry • The Transcontinental Railroad – this was one railroad that connected the East to the West.

10. The Race Is On!! When the U.S. government named two companies to build a transcontinental railroad in 1862, no meeting point was set. Enormous financial rewards -- paid out per mile of completed track -- propelled both sides into a grueling seven-year race across daunting terrain. The Central Pacific built eastward from Sacramento, California. The Union Pacific built westward from Council Bluffs, Iowa, making its headquarters across the Missouri River in Omaha, Nebraska. Where would the two meet? Track the railroad's construction in this interactive map.

11. Transcontinental Railroad • This is the route in modern times…. Transcontinental Railroad producer Mark Zwonitzer and his team traveled back and forth across the original route of the railroad, looking for locations, stories, and images. Take a virtual road trip with Mark as your guide, and explore the path of the original railroad through six Western states. Scouting the Route

12. If you are interested…. • Click here to enter a Railroad Museum http://www.cprr.org/ • What was the benefit of having railroads that connected all parts of the US?

13. A quick note…. • These are some of the new inventions during this time period. • 1859 – first oil well drilled in Pennsylvania • 1844 – the telegraph was invented using Morse code • 1876 – invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell • 1879 – invention of the light bulb by Thomas Edison How did all these items help industry????

14. Two amazing inventors Thomas Edison Alexander Graham Bell

15. The Rise of Corporations • The idea was to sell large portions of stock in order to make money for the business. • Each person who owned stock was a stockholder (or shareholder).

16. Stocks from the Civil War period

17. Because of the sale of stocks, the number and size of businesses began to rapidly increase. • The number of workers also increased because there were more jobs in these corporations.

18. Business leaders • Andrew Carnegie • He created a very successful business by selling steel at very low prices. • The low prices caused other steel businesses to go out of business. • He forced his employees to work very long hours for little pay. They were stopped from joining unions. • He donated large amounts of money to educations, public libraries, and the arts.

19. Business leaders • John D. Rockefeller • He formed the Standard Oil Company • Because he controlled most of the oils, he forced railroad companies to give him a discount to transport his oil. His competitors were charged much more. • By 1900, he controlled almost the entire oil industry. • He also gave money to education and the arts later in life.

20. Monopoly • No, not the board game…but it has the same idea. • A monopoly is a company that controls all the business in an industry. • In other words, if there is only one company that sells oil, that company has a monopoly on the oil industry. • Why is this a bad thing?

21. The abuse of “big business” (the monopolies) finally forced the government to react. • Congress passed two laws to help with monopolies: • Interstate Commerce Act (1887) – This law made certain practices of railroad companies illegal, such as agreements to control rates. • Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) – This law prohibited certain tactics used by companies against their competitors. The act showed that Congress now felt something has to be done to stop unfair practices by “big business”.

22. Interstate Commerce Act

23. Sherman Antitrust Act

24. Labor • The rise of big business created a lot more jobs. However, there was a downside to this. • There was a growing gap between the rich and the poor. • Working conditions were terrible – workers worked 6 days a week for 12-14 hours per day. • Working conditions were often hazardous – especially in factories and mines. • The work was often boring, repetitive and monotonous.

32. Unions • Because of these poor working conditions and low pay, many workers started to form and join unions. • These unions could demand higher pay for its members. If this did not happen, the union members could strike.

33. Sometimes strikes were violent, other times, they were not.

35. American Federation of Labor (AFL) • Formed in 1881 by Samuel Gompers. • This group sought to improved working conditions, gain higher pay, and achieve an 8-hour work day. • Government was afraid of unions because they saw them as being dangerous. This attitude changed in the early 20th century.

36. Urbanization • In 1865, most Americans lived in RURAL areas (out in the country). • By 1920, half of all Americans lived in URBAN areas (in the city). • Atlanta, Chicago, and New York • This movement into cities is called URBANIZATION

37. Los Angeles

38. Chicago in 1820 Population: 15

39. Chicago in 1854 Population: 55,000

40. Chicago in 1898 Population: 1,698,575

41. Rural vs. Urban

42. Cities in the world at night

43. Reasons for Urbanization • More factories and jobs were in the city. • More cultural aspects (arts, museums, and libraries) were found in URBAN areas. • Farmers moved because new farm machinery replaced human labor. • Immigration increased • African Americans migrated to other parts of the country looking for a better life.

45. The Immigration Experience • One reason cities grew so fast was because of the flood of immigrants. • Immigrants came here because conditions in their own countries were poor. • These immigrants believed conditions in the United States would be better.

46. Immigration 1840-1890 Click here Ellis Island

47. “New Immigrants” • In the 1880’s, immigrants started to come from Southern and Eastern Europe. • They spoke little or no English and dressed differently than other Americans. • They lived in ghettos – ethnic neighborhoods in large cities. • They often worked as unskilled laborers, working long hours for low wages. • They lived in tenements. • This led to greater diversity in the United States because these new immigrants brought different food, words, and lifestyles

48. Ghettos

49. It was easy to overlook 97 Orchard Street. The building was but one of the thousands of tenements that sprouted up on the Lower East Side during the nineteenth century. However, for Lukas Glockner, 97 Orchard Street wasn't just another tenement; it was a ticket to prosperity. When the German immigrant opened his tenement in 1863, he was hoping to turn a profit by providing cheap homes to the immigrants who were flooding into Manhattan. The tenement fulfilled Glockner's dreams: people filled the building and swelled his pocketbook. Indeed, between 1863 and 1935, 7000 tenants lived in 97 Orchard Street. The lives of some of these residents are the basis of our Virtual Tour. Click here to see what his tenement was like

50. The Great Migration • The “Great Migration” is the movement of large numbers of African Americans leaving the South to live in Northern Cities. • One of the major centers for African Americans was Harlem in NYC. • These newcomers often faced prejudice and discrimination. click here for more information