APUSH Unit 6.1 - The Market Revolution

Study Notes

Market Revolution Overview

The Market Revolution refers to a transformative period in antebellum America involving industrialization, transportation advancements, and a shift from subsistence to cash farming.
Marked changes included regional specialization, increased immigration, westward expansion, and urbanization.

Immigration Patterns

Irish immigrants, totaling around 2 million between 1830 and the Civil War, settled in Eastern cities, facing discrimination due to their Catholic faith and socio-economic status.
The Irish Potato Famine was a significant catalyst for this migration, resulting in approximately 2 million deaths in the 1840s.
German immigrants (1.5 million from 1830 to 1860) were primarily educated farmers who moved westward and introduced cultural elements such as kindergarten and beer.

Nativism and Political Response

Nativism emerged as a reaction against immigration, often fueled by religious tension between Catholic immigrants and Protestant Americans.
The "Know-Nothing" Party, established in 1849, sought to impose restrictions on immigration and deport impoverished aliens, gaining influence in the 1850s.

Industrial Revolution Innovations

The Industrial Revolution was characterized by significant economic growth fueled by inventions such as the spinning jenny, cotton gin, interchangeable parts, and the telegraph.
Eli Whitney's cotton gin (1793) revolutionized cotton harvesting, dramatically increasing production and intensifying the reliance on slavery.
Interchangeable parts, another of Whitney's innovations, laid the groundwork for modern mass production techniques.

Key Technological Advances

The sewing machine, developed by Elias Howe in 1846 and improved by Isaac Singer, shifted clothing production from home workshops to factories, lowering costs.
Samuel F.B. Morse invented the telegraph in 1844, enabling rapid long-distance communication, significantly impacting business practices.

Textile Manufacturing

Francis Cabot Lowell established the first dual-purpose textile plant in Waltham, Massachusetts, in 1814, combining spinning and weaving processes.
"Lowell girls," young women from local farms, worked in these factories and organized one of the first strikes in U.S. history in 1836, only to be replaced by immigrant labor later.

Farming Innovations and Equipment

John Deere's steel plow broke through tough western soil, facilitating productive farming.
Cyrus McCormick's mechanical mower reaper, introduced in the 1830s, could perform tasks equivalent to five men, significantly aiding frontier agriculture.

Transportation Revolution

The Transportation Revolution sought to connect the East with the West, creating a national market economy and supporting westward population movement.
The National (Cumberland) Road, established in 1852, spanned 591 miles and became essential for western migration and commerce.
Conestoga wagons served multiple purposes in westward travel, while the Pony Express (established in 1860) provided rapid mail service until overtaken by telegraph communication.

Waterway Developments

Robert Fulton introduced the steamboat in 1807, improving navigation on American rivers and facilitating population growth along water routes.
The Erie Canal, completed in 1825, linked the Great Lakes to the Hudson River, drastically reducing shipping costs and times, and spurring new city development.

Regional Economic Specialization

The East specialized in industrial production (machines, textiles), the South focused on cotton cultivation reliant on slavery, and the West emerged as a hub for grain and livestock with a rapidly growing population.

Factory System and Economic Impact

Samuel Slater, known as the "Father of the Factory System," played a pivotal role in introducing the spinning jenny in America (1791), which contributed to the lowering of manufactured goods prices during the Industrial Revolution.

Description

Explore key concepts of the Market Revolution in antebellum America through these flashcards. Understand the transformation from subsistence farming to cash farming, the influx of immigrants, and the rise of cities. Test your knowledge on the factors that shaped America's economy during this pivotal era.