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Henry Bessemer invented the Bessemer process in 1856. This process was a simpler way of making steel from pig iron.
Info:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bessemer process
Picture: http://www.arthursclipart.org/engineer/engineer/page_01.htm -
Edwin Drake and his team drilled all summer f 1859 attempting to strike oil in Titusville. Finally in August on the Sabbath, the drill slipped down into a crevice almost 70 feet down and they pulled the drill out. Later that day they returned to the well and found oil pouring out.
info: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica/whomade/drake_hi.html
picture:
http://inventionideasblog.com/2010/07/no-pay-%E2%80%93-no-gain-part-two/ -
Sholes did not create the first typewriter, however he invented the first one that had a substantial amount of success. He also invented the QWERTY keyboard, because the keys kept getting stuck when they were in alphabetical order. He spread all the most commonly used letters across the keyboard and we still use the same system today. Info: http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/168.html
Picture: http://portalwisconsin.wordpress.com/tag/christopher-sholes/ -
The need for a Transcontinental Railroad became apparent especially during the gold rush because people either had to travel to the west coast by wagon or around South America by boat, which would both take around 4 months. The Railroad was completed in 1869 and travel from coast to coast became only about a week long. Info and picture: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/goldenspike.htm
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Morgan started his own private banking company in 1871. His company became so powerful that the goverment looked to it for help during the depression in 1895, however a law suit was later filed against him for concern of monopolies. Info and picture: http://www.biography.com/people/jp-morgan-9414735
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Mother Jones was an important figure in the labor acts. She fought in favor of the mine workers and inspired them to take action. She was a leader and supporter of many strikes against better treatment and safer conditions in the mines. Info: http://www.aflcio.org/About/Our-History/Key-People-in-Labor-History/Mother-Jones-1837-1930
Picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Harris_Jones -
Stockholders in Union Pacific Railroad formed the Credit Mobilier of America to build a railroad and gave shares in the railroad to important figures in Congress. This allowed the railroad workers to make large profits. This scandal portrayed how Gilded Age politics were tainted. Info: http://www.history.com/topics/credit-mobilier
Picture: http://l1randall359.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/the-credit-mobilier-scandal/ -
Bell first invented the microphone due to his interest in deaf people, and eventually he invetned the "electrical speech machine," AKA the telephone. Info: http://fi.edu/franklin/inventor/bell.html
Picture: http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2008/03/dayintech_0310 -
This case was due to the law in Illinois that put a maximum price on grain. Warehouse firm Munn and Scott violated this law and appealed all the way to the Supreme Court, where in a 7-2 ruling the law was upheld. This case began a short era of the scrutinization of public utilities. The picture is of Chief Justice Waite who delivered the decision. Info: http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h855.html
Picture: http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1876-1900/supreme-court-case-munn-v-illinois-1877.php -
Thomas Edison invented the Phonograph, motion pictures, and improved upon the idea of the lightbulb. He is most renowned for his lightbulb, which he actually had to invent seven other elements in order to create the actual lightbulb itself. Info: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bledison.htm
Picture:http://www.freakingnews.com/Thomas-Edison-in-Light-Bulb-Pics-63141.asp -
Rockefeller started his own oil refinery in 1870 and by 1882 he had a near-monopoly of the oil business. Anitmonopoly laws were created so he was not able to have a complete monopoly. Info and picture: http://www.biography.com/people/john-d-rockefeller-20710159
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Along with the growth of industry came the creation of unions. These unions opposed working conditions and long hours. Workers at McCormick Harvesting Machine Co. in Chicago began a strike in hopes for a shorter work day. The following day about 2,000 protestors showed up for a peaceful protest in Haymarket Square until police fired into the crowd. Info: http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h750.html
Picture: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/haymarket/haymarket.html -
The Interstate Commerce Act was an act passed to regulate the railroads by making shipping rates be reasonable and just, forcing rates to be published, outlawing secret rebates, and illegalizing price discrimination against small markets. Info: http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h743.html
Picture: http://www.supremecourthistory.org/history-of-the-court/history-of-the-court-2/the-waite-court-1874-1888/ -
Act passed by Congress to prohibit abusive monopolies and trusts. Farmers especially were the ones who opposed these monopolies and trusts because they were getting charged an excessive amount by the railroad to transport their goods. Info: http://www.linfo.org/sherman.html
Picture: http://www.supremecourthistory.org/history-of-the-court/history-of-the-court-2/the-fuller-court-1888-1910/ -
Violent strike at Andrew Carnegie's steel mill, ruining his reputation as generous employer. Wages were cut due to the downturn of the economy, and the union revolted. Info: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carnegie/peopleevents/pande04.html
Picture: http://www.stephenhicks.org/tag/homestead-strike/ -
The strike began with the factory workers of the Pullman Palace Car Company walking out after their wages were declined and all negotiation failed. A month later the ARU railway refused to run trains that included Pullman cars. The government intervened and arrested the ARU president. This strike increased government regulations. Info: http://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1029.html
Picture: http://www.lib.niu.edu/1994/ihy941208.html -
Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that the New York law setting limits that bakers can work no more than a 60 hour week was unconstitutional.
Info: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/capitalism/landmark_lochner.html
Picture: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/capitalism/landmark_lochner.html -
Henry Ford invented the first car in 1908 which revolutionized manufacturing and marked the beginning of the Motor Age. Info: http://inventors.about.com/od/fstartinventors/a/HenryFord.htm
Picture: http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/Design/Gartman/D_Casestudy/Henry_Ford.htm -
Eugene Debs was the leader of the labor movement. He was a socialist candidate who ran against Woodrow Wilson in the election of 1912. He was later arrested for rallying against Wilson's decision to go to war. Info: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/wilson/peopleevents/p_debs.html
Picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_V._Debs -
Orville Wright flew his own plane for the first successful, powered, piloted flight ever. The Wright Brothers began by inventing gliders in 1900 and eventually created the first successful airplane in 1917. Info: http://inventors.about.com/od/wstartinventors/a/TheWrightBrother.htm
Picture: http://www.famousdyslexicpeople.com/17/the-wright-brothers/
