The 1^st Industrial Revolution and American Expansionism

17 September 2004 (Lecture #10)

In Europe

· Machines allow mass production by low skilled worked vice small, inefficient producted by skilled artisans

· Steam revolution – more powerful and efficient

o Allows for huge machines

o Power allows for creation of metal machines

· Industrialized in UK

o Capital needed to start factories – UK had lots of this

o Grows faster than in the rest of Europe

· Entreprenaurs benefit the most; working class lose out because of the introduction of wages

· Wage Labor – 70-90 hours a week to barely survive

o Strength not an issue so women and children are hired (compose 2/3 of workers – paid less)

American Economic Growth

· World’s cotton (60%) from the US; huge scale production

· North produces factories to refine cotton and then ship overseas

· War of 1812 prevents overseas trade and helps bring the US together to develop a market economy

· Boat is the most efficient transportation means (pre-railroad)

· Steam locomotive much faster and more efficient – 9000 miles of track built in its first 20 years

· Immigration is very high in the early 1800s

US Westward Expansion

· People move west because they can transport goods back

· People think the US should stretch to the Pacific

· Mexico’s former Texas asks to join the US so US annexes it

· Mexico refuses to sell Western territory; border dispute over Texas

o US invades Mexico and overwhlemes Mexican forces, forcing it to cede the southwest