Big Business and the West Time Line

First oil well is drilled, Pennsylvania

Aug 28, 1859

Edwin Drake started this drill just to find oil and the oil well he drilled became known as the Drake Well. This also started the international hunt for oil.

Transcontinental Railroad Completion

May 10, 1869

The completion of this railroad made access to the west very easy and created a boom in trade and business. This also created a sense of unity between the north and south together since they now had something that connected them.

Rockefeller founds Standard Oil

Sep 11, 1870

Standard Oil becomes and oil monopoly within seven years of business by buying out competitors. Also Standard Oil made it's own barrels and had scientists find new uses for oil before anyone else could.

Carnegie Steel Company is formed

Sep 11, 1872

This company became one of the biggest steel companies and had the highest production rate. The way this company had the highest production rate was by constantly buying the newest equipment and overworking Employees.

Bell Patents telephone

Mar 7, 1876

This brought telephones to the people and started the Bell Telephone Company. Also new form of communication for everyone to use and is still used today.

First telephone to be installed into the Whitehouse

May 10, 1877

Hayes installed the first telephone in the Whitehouse on this day. Despite installing it he rarely used it.

Edison perfects incandescent light bulb

Dec 31, 1879

This made it last much longer than the other versions before it. This improvement made it more practical and easier for everyone to use.

Railroads set up standard time zones

Nov 18, 1883

This helped organize scheduling time for trains and organize time when before everyone would just set their time according to what time they say the sun rise. Before this schedules were terrible and it was hard to get to things on time.

First electric trolley line, Richmond, VA

Feb 2, 1888

Created a more efficient way to travel compared to horse trolley, which came with horse poop and horse maintenance. It would also become a popular mode of public transportation in the future.

Sherman Antitrust Act is passed

Jul 2, 1890

This act outlawed monopolies and acted against them. This ensured more companies to get have chance to grow larger and create competition.

J.P. Morgan forms U.S. Steel

Sep 11, 1901

Successful company which ended up making about 67% of the steel goods in the U.S in its first year of business. Many of the company's divisions grew seperated from the original and changed over time.