The revolution in the latter half of the nineteenth century molded our nation into what it is today. The revolution produced inventions that quickened processes, made items cheaper, and added more luxury for the American people. Advances in production, infrastructure, and other areas made for a bright and promising future for American society. The first event that started the chain of industrialization was the building of the transcontinental railroad.
Ewin Tang/Lauren Archibald
Monday, February 21, 2011
Railroads: The Industrialization of America
The Industrialization of the United States was set off by the start of the railroads. They became known as a symbol of hope for all that our nation had to offer. Businesses were created and booming. Transportation, of both people and goods, became easier, faster, and cheaper. The railroads were connecting America in a way that it had never been connected before. They quickly became the core of the nation’s operating system.
Before the Civil War there was about 45,000 miles of track placed in the U.S. By the early 1900’s another 170,000 miles were added to the Nations railroads. This was made possible by the Pacific Railroad Act, passed by congress in 1862, as it authorized the construction of a Transcontinental Railroad. This railroad made up most of the track that was set down by 1900.
Works Cited:
http://resourcesforhistoryteachers.wikispaces.com/file/view/800px-Seattle_-_Railroad_Avenue_-_1900.jpg/83316175/800px-Seattle_-_Railroad_Avenue_-_1900.jpg
Lauren Archibald
Production
As the United States entered the industrialization era, new buisnesses and products would grow. In the past, it was difficult to create and repair any kind of product (such as a gun) because no two products were exactly identical. In order to fix something such as a clock, one would have to hire somebody to make a customized part just for that product. Interchangeable parts allowed workers to create parts of a product in the exact same size and shape. This way, products could be assembled much more efficiently, and for a fraction of the price. Thanks to interchangeable parts, most Americans would be able to afford products made with interchangeable parts. Citizens would also find it inexpensive to repair products now that most products had identical parts.
In an assembly line, workers are usually given one task. The amount of work each worker must put in is reduced as much as possible in order to get the most amount of work finished in the least amount of time. The assembly line benefitted some workers because it allowed people to work a job while only specializing in one task.Works cited:
Jones (textbook).
Hien Nguyen
Infrastructure
The Subway:
On September 1st, 1897, the first subway in the United States began running. More than one hundred thousand rode this subway its first day in action. This type of trasportation was mimicked after the first subway in the world, based in London. This was meant to improve public trasportation. With this new subway, people were able to travel short or long distances in less time than it would have driving. This trasportation was cheap, quick, and didn't make the traffic on the streets worse.Water Treatment:
The treatment of water slowly started to evolve after the Metropolis Act in 1852. This required the water supplied to London to be treated by sand filtration. Dr. Robert Koch and Dr. Josph Lister proved that microorganisms can cause diseases. In 1895, after the Metropolis Act, Allen Hazen made this proposal to the Unites States. He believed that treating the water with slow sand filtration would remove these harmful particles.Works cited:
Trey Speer
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