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First Oil Well
George Bissell and Edwin L. Drake made the first successful drilling rig to obtain oil in Titusville, PA. Oil and gas were accidentally produced as a byproduct from mining for salt brine. With oil being drilled in the US at such high quantities, many people were buying it because gas had many uses and was hard to obtain before the drilling rig was founded. This led to the oil industry being huge today in the US as well as around the world. -
Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad
On May 10, 1869, a golden spike was driven in Promontory, Utah that meant the Transcontinental Railroad was completely finished. Before this creation, goods would have to be taken by boat or foot from the East to West coast, which made resources and supplies difficult to get. Settlers can now move anywhere in the US with the same resources as anywhere else in the US. This led to more settlers being able to move to the US and more space for them to live. -
Rockefeller Founded Standard Oil
Standard Oil was founded in 1870 and was officially declared a monopoly in 1882. After 12 years of being a company, Standard Oil owned had control of 90% of US oil companies. Rockefeller had to dissolve Standard Oil after Ohio ruled it was against their monopoly laws. Nine years after that, the company became the face of an antitrust legislation. That company was a violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act and illegal so they had to dissolve as well. -
Bell Patents the Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone so people could talk one on one over long distances. This invention forever revolutionized everyday life for billions of people. Telephones have become more advanced over the years, however if Bell did not invent the first version of a phone, it would not have been created. -
First Telephone in White House
President Rutherford B. Hayes had the first telephone installed in the White House in 1877. Not many phones were around at the time, but the president had one and the treasury department had the only other telephone the president’s phone could reach. -
Edison Perfects Incandescent Lightbulb
Edison and his team tested over 3000 designs for light bulbs for two years. In November of 1879, Edison filed a patent for the light bulbs. The incandescent light bulbs were not invented by him, however he was very successful with marketing them which is why so many people started using them in their daily lives. -
Railroads Set up Standard time
With four standard time zones throughout the path of the railroads, scheduling was dangerous and unpredictable. The establishment of time zones and the standardization of tracks were two important developments for railroads. The standard time zones made scheduling easy, was safer for trains to use and not crash into another train, and had greater efficiency in production. . -
First Electric Trolley Line
The Richmond Union Passenger Railway was the first electric trolly line that was put to use. It was invented by Frank J. Sprauge who was inspired by the technology and engineering used by Edison with the telephone, so he created the electric railways. The electric railways took the place of horseback riding to get from place to place and defeated the animal maintenance that was needed with the horses. -
Sherman Antitrust Act is Passed
This act outlawed monopolies in business and it was the first law passed by the US Congress against trusts. This law protects the public from failure of the market. An abundant amount of people were against the fact that it restrained trade between other states and foreign nations. -
Carnegie Steel Company is Formed
Andrew Carnegie made a steel company that quickly monopolized the steel industry. This company had everything from raw materials to distribution. Carnegie controlled about 90% of the steel industry throughout the entire US and he discovered the quickest and most efficient way of making steel, which was very important and was the main reason Manhattan was built and is now one of the busiest cities in the world. -
J.P. Morgan Formed US Steel
J.P. Morgan made the company US Steel by combining Carnegie Steel with the Federal Steel Company and the National Steel Company for $492,000,000. He then ran the company called Federal Steel selling steel to all of the US. Steel was essential in the colonization of the United States because it was used to build cities and was worth $1.4 billion making it the first billion dollar company.
