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U.S. INDUSTRY: BIRTH AND GROWTH
Largely an agricultural nation, the United States experienced great changes as the Industrial Revolution reached its shores. The constant development of laborsaving devices for both the farm and the factory revolutionized the way of life in the United States, giving place to new national trends, such as the moves from country to city, from home to factory, and from small business to booming corporation. Interest in the United States centered on the nation itself in those formative years. -
Early Industrial Growth.
The agricultural portion of the United States was the first sector to reap the profits of the machine age. After observing the hard, slow task of picking cotton, a colonial schoolteacher and gunmaker, Eli Whitney, began experimenting in 1793 Robert Fulton's development of the steamboat in 1807 completely revolutionized water travel and began a new age of water traffic -
INDUSTRIAL LIFESTYLE: LABOR MOVEMENT
Immigrants, beggars, street people, women, and children were among the first factory workers, selling themselves to the factory system in order to earn sufficient money for survival. Wages were extremely meager--by 1850, men were still bringing home less than six dollars a week. At that time, the minimum family budget in New York for a week was ten dollars and thirty-seven cents. Obviously, more than one family member had to work; therefore, women and children sought factory employment. -
Lifestyle of Cities.
Lifestyle of Cities. Pursuing a better economic lifestyle for themselves and their families, masses of people were attracted by the Industrial Revolution from outlying farm districts to the urban areas. The lure of city excitement, better education and culture, more activites, and factory salaries was irresistible to many rural farmers. Although some achieved their hopes of fame and fortune, most dreams were shattered by the dark reality of city life -
FOREIGN POLICY: ISOLATIONISM
During the 1870s and 1880s, the United States paid relatively little attention to foreign affairs. In comparison to such European nations as France, Germany, and Great Britain, the United States was weak militarily and had little influence in international politics.The United States had taken an idealistic view toward foreign policy. President James Monroe told Congress in 1823 that the Western Hemisphere was no longer open to further colonization by any European power. -
Triple Entente
By forming the Triple Alliance, Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary forced other countries to seek security through unification. France and Russia developed the type of cooperation that Bismarck had feared for so long. France and Russia formed an alliance of their own in 1894.Support in the United States swayed heavily toward the Triple Entente from the start. This support was primarily a result of the United States' strong English background and support of the mother country. -
Triple Alliance
The countries of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy formed the Triple Alliance. Initially, only Germany and Austria-Hungary joined, forming a Dual Alliance. However, when Italy joined the others in 1882, the unification was called the Triple Alliance. Support in the United States swayed heavily toward the Triple Entente from the start. This support was primarily a result of the United States' strong English background and support of the mother country. -
Spanish-American War
By 1898, America's plan to avoid outside involvement was obviously not working, for in that year, the Spanish-American War erupted. The cause of the war centered on Cuba, the West Indies Island located ninety miles south of the tip of Florida. -
Militarism
Militarism. The growing nationalism and imperialism could only lead to militarism, a strong policy supporting a powerful military. The continued development of armies and navies gave nations with powerful military machines an international advantage. Weaker nations gradually faded into the background as the philosophy of the survival of the fittest prevailed. Early 1900s -
U.S. INDUSTRY: ECONOMIC EXPANSION
As the United States adjusted to the changes brought about by the invention of laborsaving devices that replaced muscle with machine, methods of production also had to expand to meet the increasing demand for manufactured goods. Thus, the development of the factory system put a greater quantity of goods on the market at a lower price.