Industrial Revolution

• Acts which were significant for farmers in the late 1800s:

  • Homestead Act: 1862, opened up western lands, giving settlers 160 acres for free
  • Morrill Land Grant Acts: 1862, gave states money or grants of land to sell in exchange for the establishment of colleges with an agricultural and mechanical focus; the second, 1890, required that states provided similar institutions for African Americans; these establishments came to be known as land grant colleges
• After passage of the Homestead Act of 1862, farmers hurried to the Great Plains to claim their land. They struggled with the hard-packed soil and lack of money to purchase farming equipment with. For those who could afford them, new technology and farming techniques were in development. The growing population at first raised demand for agricultural products, but their soon came a surplus of crops, severely dropping their price.
• The supply of crops became greater than the demand for them.
• Farmers often could not afford the high costs of shipping for their products.
• Railroad companies held monopolies, charging extortionate amounts of money to transport agricultural goods.
• Farmers take out loans for supplies -> gold standard decreases dollar value -> tariffs raise prices of household goods -> railroad pools increase transportation costs -> overproduction of crops decreases price -> more loans and debt for the new supplies
• The main issues facing American farmers in the late 1800s were expensive equipment which many had to take out loans for; a consequent surplus of crops which lessened demand; and extortionate shipping costs due to railroad monopolies.
• Oliver Hudson Kelley formed the National Grange, for the benefit and education of farmers, in 1867.
• Grange members protested against railroad companies and grain elevator operators.
• 1877: In Munn v. Illinois, the Court ruled that the government had the right to regulate private businesses when public interest was at stake
• 1886: Wabash v. Illinois, the Court ruled that the federal government could regulate railroads if they crossed state lines
• Interstate Commerce Act of 1887: Created to regulate trade, particularly involving railroads that traveled between states; created the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to monitor the rates railroads charged
• Farmers' Alliance: Organization of farmers developed during 1875 to work on policies that addressed agricultural concerns
• Gold standard: The amount of money in circulation had to be backed by an equal amount of gold; eliminated the silver dollar as an authorized coin, limiting the money in circulation; farmers called this the "Crime of '73"
• Bimetallism: Monetary standard based in two metals, silver and gold
• Free Silver Movement: Advocated the unlimited coinage of silver, supported by farmers
• Populist Party: Formed in 1892 by Farmers' Alliance members, fighting for unlimited coinage of silver, a federal income tax, and government ownership of railroads
• McKinley Tariff Act: Imposed a high tariff on imported goods
• Panic of 1893: Gold in the treasury fell and investors rushed to cash in their money for gold; caused a two year financial depression
• Sherman Silver Purchase Act: 1890, raised the amount of silver purchased each month by 50%; was repealed in 1893, at the behest of President Grover Cleveland
• The presidential candidates of 1896 were William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan, the latter of which represented the Populist party and bimetallism.
• William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech attracted censure for his appropriation of Biblical imagery for political gain.
• The First Industrial Revolution was a period from the late 18th century to the early 19th century in Great Britain which began revolutionizing coal, iron, and textile industries. Agricultural: More efficient farming methods, such as the cotton gin, making agriculture a leading industry. Business: Jobs for skilled craftspeople became scarce as machines took their place; these craftspeople formed labor unions. Social: Families looked for employment, moving to cities. Technology: Simple machines replaced hand tools; sources of power were natural. Transportation: Canals, roads, railroads.
• The Second Industrial Revolution followed and expanded upon the first. Advancements in transportation (rail network), communication (the telegraph), entrepreneurs (such as Andrew Carnegie, nicknamed "Captains of Industry" and "Robber Barons"), technology (Bessemer process, removing impurities from molten steel), labor (labor force growing due to the influx of immigrants and newly-freed African Americans), government (encouraged expansion, free trade, and passed tariffs), and natural resources (due to settlement in the west).
• Principal differences between the First and Second industrial revolutions include the dominant markets (agriculture and industry, respectively) and the expansion of the workforce (the latter experiencing this, due to immigrants and freedmen).
• Northeast: At the center of industrialization, with a rapid growth of manufacturing economy and population

  Midwest: Experienced economic growth in both manufacturing and farming; acted as the gateway between the east and west

  South: Remained agricultural, with a growing timber industry; continued to have racial issues
• The construction of the Transcontinental Railroad encouraged settlement in the west, and allowed transportation of goods.
• Knights of Labor: Organized in 1869 by Uriah Stephens; accepted any laborers of all races and genders
• Chinese Exclusion Act: 1882, denied citizenship to people born in China and banned Chinese immigration for 10 years
• Gentlemen's Agreement: 1907, agreement between the US and Japan to limit the number of unskilled workers emigrating from there to the US
• Thomas Edison: (Allegedly) created the light bulb, and developed numerous other devices; "The Wizard of Menlo Park"
• Madame C.J. Walker: The first female African American self-made millionaire, for her development of popular hair care products
• Elijah McCoy: Son of runaway slaves; developed a way to keep moving parts of steam engines lubricated using steam valves
• Eliza Murfey: Improved railroad car axles
• Wright brothers: Made the first successful powered flight
• Sarah E. Goode: First African American woman to receive a patent
• John Rockefeller and Standard Oil practiced horizontal integration. Andrew Carnegie and Carnegie Steel practiced vertical integration.
• Social Gospel Movement: Movement in which Christians were urged to improve social conditions for the less fortunate; an early leader was Reverend Washington Gladden; developed YMCAs and settlement houses
• Muckrakers: Journalists who revealed misbehaviors in politics or industry; such as Upton Sinclair, whose book The Jungle (1906) revealed misdeeds in the meatpacking industry; and Ida Tarbell, who revealed misdeeds at Standard Oil
• Important early labor unions: Knights of Labor (1869), American Federation of Labor (AFL, 1881), American Railway Union (founded by Eugene Debs)