Age of Industrialism in the USA - Essay Example

The period between 1800 and 1900 Gilded Age and Industrialism in the U.S.A This was a time in the history of America characterized by accelerated growth in industry and an influx in immigration. In this time, iron and steel came in large quantities. Other resources from the West included gold, silver and lumber. The massive production of these resources raised the need for better means of transport. It is in the Gilded Age that the development of railroad peaked. People increasingly used trains in transporting goods from the West, where they were in surplus, to the East. The demand for steel and oil hit an all time high. This industry had very renowned personalities (Link and Susannah 34). These included John D. Rockefeller who dealt in oil and Andrew Carnegie, who dealt in steel. These individuals went by the name of robber barons because people believed that they got their wealth through unscrupulous business deals. It is Gilded Age because of the notable fortunes realized in the period and people’s improved level of affordability. It is during Gilded Age that the United States shifted from an agricultural society to an urban industrial society. This was as a result of massive movement of people to cities after the Civil War. In 1860, only twenty percent of people in the U.S.A lived in cities. This number grew to forty percent in 1900. Cities provided a place of adventure for young people who left the countryside to go to towns and cities. This heightened modernization in the U.S.A as more skyscrapers came up department stores emerged and, telephone and electric lamps installed. Consumerism and middle classes emerged as a result of industrialization and immigration into cities (Meyer 61). Technology and expansion of railroad Railroad was perhaps the single most important factor that transformed industrial cities in the West in the 1800s. The advanced technology of the time enabled the building of railroads that helped ease transportation around the U.S.A and made travelling safe and cheap. Transcontinental lines helped move grain, people, ore, cattle, and equipment to and from across the Midwest. Railroad passed through Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada and the fertile areas of California and Oregon (Link and Susannah 35). The building of railroads transport transformed the landscape of the West. Bison travelled across the Great Plains to provide food and clothing to Native American tribes. Railroads destroyed Bison’s habitat and brought sport hunters to their environment. Americans killed many Bison and by 1885, only 1,000 Bison survived. There were other things that contributed to the expansion of railroads in the U.S.A. One important factor was the Civil War. The Civil War caused an increase in U.S.A’s industrial production leaving it among the world’s leading industrial producers in the 1890. The war also accelerated the growth of corporations as it demanded more consumer goods and services. The growth and popularity of money capital also contributed greatly to the expansion of railroads as it attracted foreign investors into American economy. Consequently, more people increased their investment in capitalist ventures. Government support of business also had an impact on the growth of railroads in America (Meyer 62). The government donated enormous land to railroad companies for the expansion of railroad transport. Pullman sleeper car complemented the development of railroad transport by increasing railroad passengers’ comfort. Double sets of tracks took the place of a single set track system. This enabled two-way rail traffic with snarl-up. Iron rails gave way to steel rails that could handle heavy weight loads. The development of locomotive tenders enabled the use of coal to power trains. Coal took the place of wood as it was more efficient than wood. Coal power cut on the number of times trains had to stop and refuel (Link and Susannah 36). After Westinghouse got patent rights for air brakes, mechanical brakes paved the way for air brakes. Air brakes allowed for the safe carriage of heavy loads by railroads. Anti-trust law and tariffs There had been high protective tariffs that suppressed farmers from the Midwest and South. These farmers were so deeply indebted that they could not afford railroad fares to transport their produce to cities. Railroad fares were unregulated. As a result, farmers organized the National Grange that offered them a platform to air their grievances. When the matter reached Chief Justice Marshall, he ruled in favor of the farmers. He observed that unregulated railroad fares were a violation of the poor farmers’ rights. These sentiments echoed in Tanney after the departure of Chief Justice Marshall (Meyer 63). As a result, the Grange won some notable victories in a number of Midwestern legislatures. This led to the adoption of Interstate Commerce Act in 1887 that led to the creation of the Interstate Commerce Commission. This Act spelt out that the rates of railroad fares be made reasonable and that changes in the fares were to be made public. The fares were not to be changed without notice. The Act illegalized pools and rebates in the U.S. Sherman Antitrust Act came up in 1890. It banned any restriction to interstate trade and commerce (Link and Susannah 37). The role of new technology and government in the development of capitalism in the U.S.A A number of technological innovations contributed to the development of capitalism in 1800s. As discussed above, railroad transport was one of the most significant technological inventions that harnessed the development of capitalism. This preceded yet another invention; the telegraph. It was Samuel Morse who invented the telegraph in 1844. It spread fast across United States reaching the Atlantic by 1866. Telegraph improved communication across U.S.A. It enabled businesspeople to schedule their production and shipments based on the information exchanged throughout the country (Meyer 64). This improved further because of the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. The U.S government contributed greatly to the growth of industrialization. When the need arose to have private property protected, the government adopted policies that safeguarded people’s properties. Development of railroad transport benefitted greatly from the state. The government gave federal subsidies to railroad companies. Railroad companies received loans and land grants from the government. The government took the initiative to issue protective tariffs. Government ensured minimal federal regulation of business (Link and Susannah 38). It also ensured that it imposed low taxes on corporate profits so as not to discourage investment. Works Cited Link, William and Susannah, Link. The Gilded Age and Progressive Era: A Documentary Reader. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. Print. Meyer, David. The Roots of American Industrialization. Baltimore, Md. [u.a.: The Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 2003. Print. Read More