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. . Throughout the late nineteenth century, the inventions of steel, the moving assembly line, and the automobile revolutionized American industry and urban society by increasing efficiency in production and furthering the growth of cities, thereby nationalizing the American economy.
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. Throughout the late nineteenth century, the inventions of steel, the moving assembly line, and the automobile revolutionized American industry and urban society by increasing efficiency in production and furthering the growth of cities, thereby nationalizing the American economy. By Amy Wang, Phoebe Lai, and Chloe Sofield
1. The Advancement of the Steel Industry • Processes: Bessemer and open-hearth • 1855 Bessemer=blowing air thru molten iron to remove impurities • 1868 Open-Hearth: makes steel production @ large • 1870s: new steel furnaces → more production→ prices go down • Close relationship between steel and RR industry
Open Hearth PROFIT Processing Steel Bessemer
Influence of the Growing Steel Industry • American economy dependent on urban construction and RR • Steel production increases→ more workers needed in factories→ urban development improves→ economy flourishes • Easier processing of more materials→Allows industry to grow $ $ $
Effect of Steel on Urban Life • Steel-improved RR becomes best nationwide transportation→ Trackage increases dramatically: • Connects suppliers to markets & attracts workers to jobs in cities Total tracks in 1890 Year steel invented(begins to rise) Improved steel furnace
2.The Assembly Line • Moving assembly line first implemented in automobile plants • 1914: first used by Henry Ford • Cut down assembly time (8x for Ford: from 12 ½ hours → 1 ½ hours) • reduced prices (3x, Model T $950 in 1914 to $290 in 1929) • Greatly increased efficiency
Effect of Assembly Line on Urban Life Opens up job opportunities for those w/o experience & employs a larger variety of people in city factories Long lines of simple tasks Does not require specialized workers
Increased Production Efficiency • Assembly line cut down labor time→ more products can be produced in shorter time period • Employers sell more for same amount of employee labor→ able to rise wages + reduce hours for workers • prices of goods reduce → easier to purchase off the market→ standard of living rises (esp. for working class) • Able to sell more goods in overseas markets→ brings in more $ to nation’s economy $$$$$$$$$$$
3.The Creation of the Automobile • Began mid-1860s w/ invention of “four-stroke engine” • Developed quickly after creation of internal combustion machine (1870), and perfected by Daimler’s engine • 1903: First gasoline driven motor vehicle created by Charley and Frank Duryea • Automobiles=popularized by Henry Ford→ 1910: cars began to be used by the everyday public
Effects of the Automobile on Urban Life More cars in circulation due to steel & assembly line making cars more affordable Highways = more important due to incr. # of cars→ more highways created Transportation= easier & more efficient First cars are created (popularized by H. Ford) ↑ job opportunities for working class More jobs accessible in commutable range (able to travel to jobs located farther away) People have a wider range of freedom when traveling (don’t depend on specific RR routes & stations) Increased middle class and labor force
Effect of Automobiles on Industry New jobs created to keep technology in working order: Lower unemployment rates Automobiles created Road Construction Repair Shops Mechanics
Conclusion The late nineteenth and early twentieth century saw the creation of many new inventions that profoundly affected the United States. The emergence of steel kindled the growth of the railroad industry, which provided businesses access to national markets and connected workers to jobs in cities. Furthermore, the moving assembly line allowed manufacturers to increase production along with the wages of urban workers while reducing the price of manufactured goods for the average consumer. Bolstered by the assembly line and steel, the automobile industry provided a flexible mode of transportation to the American middle class while creating more jobs for the common laborer. The creations of steel, the assembly line, and the automobile revolutionized American industry and urban society by increasing efficiency in production and augmenting the growth of cities, thereby nationalizing the American economy.
