Transportation Industry In The 19th Century

Superior Essays
After the civil war, Americans ran on money and new devices of business. With the expansion of businesses and the nations rail system this lead to bigger markets and industries. Railroads were the biggest industry in the late 19th century because this allowed trade with other markets and cities. The railroad was privately owned but publicly financed by land grants from the government. Along with the expansion of the rail road, there was an invention of the telegraph. The telegraph was invented by Samuel F. Morse which allowed people to communicate with Morse code. Continuing, steel soon grew rapidly after the building of the railroad. Also with the railroad industry, costs were high but with Andrew Carnegie developing the vertical integration which helped. This allowed the costs of goods to be lower so business could buy more. Carnegie was also the best known manufacturer which led to building skyscrapers, bridges, and trains. During the second half of the 19th century, there was another invention that helped businesses’ expand. This invention was the telephone and electricity. The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell and electricity was invented by Thomas Alva Edison. Since the telephone was invented, Bell created the American Telephone and Telegraphic (AT&T) Company. His invention made business more successful and affiant. Therefore, electricity become America’s biggest source in the urban life which allowed trolley cars, buildings and homes have power. Electricity lead to the company known today has General Electric which is named after Thomas Edison. Nevertheless, the 19th century grew tremendously with the new inventions which made the nation transform into the most productive industry. In the late decades of the 19th century, people were working on the Brooklyn Bridge. This gave nearly three hundred people labor, but in result to building, twenty seven men lost their lives. Also, while working on the bridge it lead to many workers experiencing a mysterious malady called “bends” which lead to some more deaths. The work load soon exploded from 5.3 million in 1860 to 1860 to 17.4 million in 1900. Some industries only had seasonal work which lead to two of the biggest depressions beginning in 1873 and 1893 which lead to unemployment and hardship. Soon later it meant that most of the household had to work. This raised the number of women working in the workplace. Also, the new white-collar workforce included women “typewriters” and salesclerks. After the civil war, businesses became larger and more elaborate. With everything happening with businesses booming, it lead to the Great Railroad Strick of 1877. This made three million people out of work due to economic depression. …show more content…
They also fought for higher wages, shorter hours and greater worker control in the face of increased mechanization. Then the Homestead Lookout occurred. Henry Clay Frick locked workers out of the mills and prepared to bring in strike breakers. The workers sounded the alarm and they were armed with rifles, hoes and fence posts. When they escaped they started killing people and killed at least thirty strikers. This action of the Homestead lookout, workers struck at the heart of the capitalist system, pitting the workers’ rights of private property. All of the workers soon were taught a

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