The Growth of Industry In 19 th Century

The Growth of Industry In 19 th Century America

New Inventions • High Pressure Steam Engine Oliver Evans (1800) • Mechanical Reaper - Cyrus Mc. Cormick (1831) • Vulcanized Rubber - Charles Goodyear (1844) • First public telegram transmission (1844) • Sewing Machine - Elias Howe (1846)

The Spread of Factories • American factory system spread out of necessity for manufactured goods prior to 1815 • U. S. shipping industry impacted by growth of domestic manufacturing • Peace with England dampened the early boom

Mass Production • Firearms industry first to utilize mass-produced interchangeable parts • As early as 1798 - Eli Whitney was developing interchangeable parts • The basis for modern massproduction and assembly line methods

Improvements in Business Organization • The formation of corporations • Limited liability for individual investors • Boston Associates an early investment capital company • Stock exchanges created to trade corporate shares

The Railroad Boom • Canal building slowed by late 1830 s • Steam locomotives pioneered in England • Railroads development proliferated rapidly in the 1850 s • Improvements in rails and standardization of track aided growth

Benefits of Railroads • Greater and faster access to the West • Cheaper shipping aided farmers • Stimulated supporting industries such as iron and coal • Provided reliable, all-weather, yearround transportation for people and goods • Some negative effects as well