Industrialization Unit Review

Industrialization Review

This review gives an overview of how inventions, big business leaders, and other changes helped America grow during the Industrial Revolution. Remember the impact of each invention, leader, and factor on our country’s development! ​

1. Important Inventions and Changes

• Electric Lighting and Electricity: Invented by Thomas Edison, electric lighting and new ways of using electricity made factories and homes brighter and safer.

• Telephone: Helped people communicate quickly over long distances, connecting businesses and families.

• Railroads: Allowed goods to be transported over large distances, connecting cities and helping businesses grow.

Review

2. Big Business Leaders
(Captains of Industry)

• John D. Rockefeller: Made his wealth in the oil industry.

• Andrew Carnegie: Built his empire in steel.

• Cornelius Vanderbilt: Became rich from shipping and railroads.

• J.P. Morgan: A powerful banker who helped finance big businesses.

  These leaders were known as captains of industry, but some people called them "robber barons" because they sometimes had unfair practices, like fighting against unions (groups that helped protect workers).

• Henry Ford: Created the assembly line and the 1st motorized vehicle the Model T.

3. Reasons for Business Growth

• National Markets: Railroads helped create big markets across the country.

• Advertising: Businesses used advertising to attract more customers.

• Lower-Cost Production: The assembly line helped make products faster and cheaper.

• Lack of Competition: Some companies created monopolies (one company controlling a product) and trusts (groups of companies working together to reduce competition).

4. Factors Promoting Industrial Growth in America

• Raw Materials and Energy: America had access to materials like coal, steel, and oil.

• People Moving to Cities: Many people, including African Americans from the South and immigrants from other countries, moved to cities for work.

• Large Workforce: Immigration added many workers to help in factories.

• New Inventions: Helped factories work more efficiently.

• Financial Resources: Wealthy people invested in new businesses.

5. Examples of Big Business

• Railroads: Connected cities and made trade easier.

• Oil, Steel, and Coal: Important industries for building machines, factories, and trains.

6. Postwar Changes in Farm and City Life

• Mechanization: New machines, like the reaper, reduced the need for farm workers and increased food production.

• City Growth: Factories in cities needed many workers, so cities grew as people moved in for jobs.

• Consumer Goods: Industrialization brought products to people’s doors, like through mail-order catalogs.

7. Labor Unions and Worker Rights

• Labor Unions: Groups formed to protect workers’ rights but often excluded African Americans.

• Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and Maids: A labor union that supported African American railroad workers.

• Many Robber Barons (Captains of Industry) were not supportive of Labor Unions