290-300
American mechanics and technological innovation
By 1820s, American-born artisans had replaced british immigrants at technological advancements
Samuel sellers jr invented a machine for twisting worsted woolen yarn and his son john improved the efficiency of the waterwheel powering sawmills and built a machine to weave wire sieves
By 1824, Franklin Institute was founded in Philadelphia
Between 1820 and 1860, number of patents issued rose from 200 to 4,000 a year
American craftsman pioneered the development of “machine tools”, which made parts for other machines.
Eli Whitney built a machine that separated cotton from the seeds effectively
In 1798 he began manufacturing weapons and eventually designed machine tools that could produce interchangeable musket parts
Richard Garsed- doubled speed of looms
Wageworkers and the labor movement
As the industrial revolution developed the American way of life changed. Craft workers took up the idea of artesian republicanism, which was an ideology based on liberty and equality.
Free workers form unions
Young women embraced the idea of working in factories because it gave them a sense of freedom because they were working and generating wages on their own
Men didn’t like working under anyone, and this came into play when owners gave meager wages and there was little job security
Unions formed to bargain with owners about the low wages and long hours which restricted family life and educational opportunities
In boston, 600 carpenters went on strike in 1825.
Labor Ideology
Common law branded unions as illegal ‘combinations’ and said unions were unlawful and governments unto themselves
Commonwealth v. hunt(1842) judicial court overturned common-law precedents and upheld rights of workers to form unions and call strikes
Labor theory of value- price of goods should reflect the labor required to make them and the income should go to the producers, not factory owners
In 1857 the economic system falters because of overproductions and financial panics caused by bankruptcies of several railroads sends the economy into a recessions
The market revolution
Around 1820 canals were created to ship goods to people faster
This sparked a huge migration of people to the greater Mississippi river basin and by 1880, nearly 1/3 or nations citizens live there
Northwest territory- (ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin)
Transportation revolutions forges regional ties
Congress lowered price of land from 2.00 and acre to 1.25
Began creating a National Road constructed of compact gravel and it began in 1811 at Cumberland in western Maryland, and ending in