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Bessemer Process
The Bessemer Process was an inexpensive way to mass-produce steel from molten pig iron. Although the process had been used in the past, it was not done at such an industrial level. The process included removing impurities from the iron by oxidation. The steel produced from the process could be used to build or manufacture greater machines in the revolution. -
Edwin Drake & Drilling
Edwin Drake was responsible for finding a new way to drill oil from the Earth. His method was to drill into the ground, and when water filled the hole, he drove a pipe made of iron down into the hole until it hit bedrock, and placed the drill into the pipe which kept the water from flooding the drill. On August 28, 1859, it first succeeded when oil was hit almost seventy feet down. -
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Crédit Mobilier Scandal
While the Union Pacific Railroad was being built, the Crédit Mobilier Scandal took place. Construction contracts were manipulated so the supposed workers could take in money but not progress with the building of the railroad.This scandal resulted in major profits for the manipulators, but not much progress in building the railroad. -
Christopher Sholes
Christopher Sholes was the inventor of the typewriter. Also, he kept improving the typewriter later in his life despite his health problems. The typewriter was a major invention during that time period, because, for the most part, everything before that was written, so this was a handy innovation. -
Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad
The Transcontinental Railroad came with many difficulties when being built, but in the end it succeeded. The railroad stretched from Sacramento, California to Omaha, Nebraska. After it was finished being built, the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific were connected. Now, the flow of ideas traveled throughout the country much quicker, and this allowed for more inventions and other jobs to be created. Also, new building projects started, and more towns were being built. -
John Rockefeller
In 1870, Rockefeller and other business partners founded the Standard Oil Company in Ohio. The oil company grew and eventually took over the oil industry in the United States. Also, it was the first great U.S. business trust. It was the largest refinery in the area, and collaborated with nearby railroad companies and other big companies. -
Alexander Graham Bell
On March 10, 1876, the first recognizable speech was sent out through an early telephone. The telephone was designed and tested by Alexander Graham Bell. This was a major invention, because now people could communicate even though they are not directly next to each other. Later, Bell improved the telephone and long-distance calls could be made. -
Munn v. Illinois
The court case, which reached the Supreme Court, resulted in the government's ability to regulate private businesses. This meant that the government could not interfere with the maxiumum price a company could charge for any of their services or goods. -
Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison was the inventor of one of the most famous inventions, the light bulb. Not only did Edison invent the more modern version of a light bulb, but he also revised it. Instead of using cotton thread, he used carbonized bamboo. This invention helped light the rooms or factories used in the Industrial Revolution during that time period. -
Haymarket Riot
When workers at the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company in Chicago went on strike to protest that the number of hours in a workday should be reduced to 8 on May 3, 1886, police officers made the protestors leave. Another meeting was held the day after. The peaceful meeting turned into a violent riot. Someone threw a bomb, and police returned random gunfire. The results of this riot were about 14 people dead and more than 100 injured. -
Interstate Commerce Act
The law was passed in 1887. This prohibited extra profits from being given to people who may not have worked as much as others. The amount the workers get payed rely on how much time they spend on a project for the railroads. -
Sherman Antitrust Act
The Sherman Antitrust Act stated that trade must be the same for everyone. Concentrations of power can no longer intertwine with trade and change it based on their authority. -
Mother Jones
Mother Jones became a well known labour movement figure in 1890. She supported strikes, organizing companies and movements with other famous figures, and also organized them by herself aswell. -
Homestead Strike
The Carnegie Steel Company was one of the biggest steel company in the United States during the late 1800's. However, when the contract between the union workers and the company was about to expire, the worker's wages were cut. The workers rejected it, adn were fired. Frick set up security guards and the workers set up a plan to occupy the plant. For 12 hours, a battle between the guards and the workers went on. At least 3 guards and 7 workers died. -
Eugene Debs
Eugene Debs lead a successful strike against the Great Northern Railway. The strike resulted in higher wages for the railroad workers. -
Pullman Strike
On this day, members of the American Railway Union went on strike because of reduced wages, and rent being cut out of their paychecks which resulted in very little pay. When the company president did not cooperate, a nation-wide strike began. No trains with Pullman cars were functioning. This caused a major distruption with the flow of goods and ideas. -
J.P. Morgan
In 1898, J.P, Morgan founded the Federal Steel Company. A few years later, it combined forces with other steel companies to form into the U.S. Steel Corporation. -
Wright Brothers - First Flight
The Wright Brothers built an airplane that runs on gasoline and flew with two propellers. On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright flew for the first time in the airplane. He flew for 120 feet in 12 seconds. Later, his brother Wilbur flew for 852 feet in 59 seconds. This was a major step in the airplane field, because the designs were so well done that major army bases would use these airplanes. Some aspects of the design are still used in today's airplanes. -
Lochner vs. New York Decision
On April 17, 1905, the court case regarding work hours had come to an end. The result of the trial stated that the state had no right to limit the number of hours in a work day. The decision would be between the employer and the worker. -
Henry Ford - Model T
The Model T was introduced in October of 1908. The Model T was an automobile that was fairly inexpensive and efficient. This was one of the most popular automobiles of that time, selling over 15.5 million units in the U.S. and over 1 million more in Canada and Great Britain. This car allowed the average person to be able to get where they wanted to go in a shorter timespan. Also, the advanced technology allowed the car to be more efficent, and affordable for the average person.
