-
The start of Urbanization
Because of the inventions, factories, and bigger cities, people wanted to move into the new capital cities to have a try at a good life. People came from the west to the east into the big cities and that when urbanization started.
http://www.ushistory.org/us/38.asp -
Ye old Elevators
The critical invention leading to this development was the elevator. The elevator was a response to the massive need for upward travel and was made by Elisha Otis in 1861. This revolutionized travel and day to day activity. -
J Edgar Thompson
Born in Scotland and immigrated with his family to Pennsylvania in 1848. He became a messenger and spent most of his time around the Pennsylvania Railroad office. J. Edgar Thompson Steel Works, was Andrew Carnegie's first company. He saved up his money to buy 2 other companies and at the end of the century he made $40 million. -
Social Darwinism
Herbert Spencer's theory which stated that society developed much like plant or animal life through a process of evolution. This means the most fit and capable enjoyed the greatest material and social success. Also known as survival of the fittest. -
John D. Rockefeller
Worked initially with family and friends in the refining business located in the Cleveland area, but by 1870, Rockefeller ventured out on his own. He consolidated his resources creating the Standard Oil Company of Ohio, initially valued at $1 million. -
Eliminating competitors
Rockefeller developed a plan to crush his competitors and create a true monopoly in freaking in refining industry. Beginning in 1872, he forged agreements with several large companies to obtain discounted freight rates for shipping his product. he also used the railroad companies to gather information on his competitors. -
The invention of the Cable car
Cable cars were a large innovation in the mid 1880’s, and continued to be large going into the 1900’s. Andrew Hallidie invented the cable car on the early morning of August 2nd, 1873, and it was installed in many cities across the united states, and provided to be one of the biggest innovations near the turn of the century. -
The invention of the telephone
As the cities grew, so did the need for better communication. Alexander Graham Bell created the telephone, leading to a staggering boom in trade and business. -
Robber barons
Robber Barons were Midwest farmers who were angry with large railroad owners for their exploitative ( unfair) and shady business practices. -
Go Away !
Not a lot of Americans welcomed immigration, but factory owners wanted them to come because of cheap labor. Over time the people started to get restricted and weren't allowed to come in. Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion act, barring an ethnic group in its entirety. 25 years later, Japanese immigration was restricted . -
Corruption
The city officials got money from illegal gambling, prostitution, even from public taxes. These was against the law but they wanted to fill their pockets. They did everything to get their votes. They used a children has young as 4 years to vote. Even a dog's name appeared in the polling list. -
The Sister Carrie
The novel "Sister Carrie" was made to convey the horrors and evil effects of living in the city. Things like the bad working conditions and poverty that happens in the city. -
Subways new Underground Transportation
Subways were a massive innovation near the turn of the century in 1897. The Boston Workers managed to complete a 3 year project connecting underground train systems and invented the subway, which still continues to operate as a massive part of society. The New York subway system was the biggest system built, and London had the first underground train system, however Boston will always be credited for the first official subway train ever built. -
Poopy Plumbing
The early stages of plumbing in America were atrocious. The system wasn't as advanced as it is today. This means that getting rid of waste was more of a challenge back then than it is now. Peoples that had little private bathrooms would often experience their bath over flooding because of the sewage problem. -
Gentlemen's Agreement
Agreement between Japan and America that limited the number of unskilled workers to come into the country and it would repeal the San Francisco segregation law. This managed to make more skilled workers come into the United States and more skilled buildings were created.
http://www.history.com/topics/gentlemens-agreement
