Key Innovations in the Late 1800s

Key Innovations in the Late 1800s

• Technological advancements, particularly in the steel industry, significantly increased productivity and efficiency.
• The Bessemer process enabled mass steel production, lowering costs and increasing availability.
• Mechanization led to displacement of workers in many industries.
• Thomas Edison's inventions, like the light bulb, revolutionized energy consumption.
• Railroads significantly expanded, enabling the transport of goods and people, contributing to urban growth.

Impact of Railroads on Society

• Railroad expansion across the US led to rapid city growth due to trade and commerce.
• Railroads boosted the economy and created jobs, facilitating the transport of raw materials and finished goods.
• Increased connectivity resulted in suburban living as people commuted to urban centers.
• Railroads played a key role in westward expansion, influencing settlement patterns and territory development.
• Competition among railroad companies sparked price wars, benefiting consumers but harming smaller businesses.

Business Practices and Economic Strategies

• Vertical Integration: Controlling all aspects of production (raw materials to final distribution), exemplified by Andrew Carnegie's steel operations.
• Horizontal Integration: Merging with competitors to enhance market share. John D. Rockefeller used this strategy in the oil industry.
• Both strategies were aimed at cost reduction and efficiency enhancement but raised concerns about monopolistic practices.
• Case studies include Carnegie Steel and Standard Oil, which dominated industries through these practices.
• Monopolies were criticized for raising prices, reducing goods quality, and eliminating competition.
• Political influence of monopolistic corporations concerned governments.
• The Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 was enacted to combat monopolistic practices and corporate power.
• Public sentiment against monopolies was supported by labor movements and worker rights advocacy.

Labor Movements and Social Change

• Samuel Gompers emphasized the importance of labor organization in advocating for workers' rights in 1894.
• The rise of labor unions in the late 19th century responded to poor working conditions and meager wages.
• Strikes, like the Homestead and Pullman strikes, highlighted tensions between labor and management, often leading to government intervention.
• Unions aimed to negotiate better wages, hours, and working conditions.
• Labor disputes saw governments often side with business owners and used troops to break up strikes.
• Public perception of labor strikes gradually shifted towards increasing sympathy for worker rights.

Imperialism and Global Expansion

• Late 19th/early 20th centuries experienced a surge in imperialism, driven by the need for raw materials and markets.
• Nationalistic rivalry among European powers fuelled competition for global colonies.
• The Boxer Rebellion in China exemplified resistance against foreign intervention and imperialism.
• The Open Door Policy aimed for equal trading rights in China, demonstrating US economic interests in Asian markets.
• Annexation of Hawaii was motivated by economic interests (particularly sugar production).
• The Spanish-American War reflected a significant shift towards US imperialism.

Key People

• Thomas Edison: Inventor of the light bulb.
• Alexander Graham Bell: Inventor of the telephone.
• Andrew Carnegie: Industrialist, a major proponent of vertical integration.
• Theodore Roosevelt: US President who led the country during the Spanish-American War.
• Samuel Gompers: Key figure in the development of American labor unions.
• Woodrow Wilson: 28th US President who led the country during WWI.
• Archduke Franz Ferdinand: His assassination triggered WWI.
• Alfred von Schlieffen: Developed the Schlieffen Plan.

World War I

• Militarism, nationalism, imperialism and alliances fostered a tense Europe.
• The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand sparked WWI.
• The sinking of the Lusitania and the Zimmerman Note contributed to the US entry.
• Trench warfare characterized the fighting on the Western Front.
• Significant incidents like the Lusitania sinking and the Zimmerman note increased public sentiment against Germany, and influenced the Allied powers.
• Selective Service Act, enacted in 1917, required men to register for the draft.
• Espionage and Sedition Acts curtailed free speech to support wartime efforts.
• The war significantly impacted American society, influencing literature, art, and public opinion.