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Bessemer Process Invented
This process was a method of mass producing steel by blasting air into molten iron, removing impurities. This process was invented by Sir Henry Bessemer. -
J. P. Morgan Starts his Career
J. P. Morgan was a banker who was able to act as a mediator to help companies merge and stabilize railroad competition. In the process he haelped to acheive financial stability in the United States. -
Edwin Drake Strikes Black Gold
Drake had been working for years to find oil in Pensylvania, and people belived his effort was futile. Eventually he was able to have the first oil derrick constructed and started the oil rush in Pensylvania after he was sucessfully able to get oil from it. -
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Credit Mobilier Scandal
During the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad, a company called Crédit Mobilier manipulated contracts to take money from the railroad company Union Pacific. -
Christopher Sholes Patents Typewriter
Christopher Sholes invented the typewriter to print letters. It allowed writing to be faster and neater. -
Transcontinental Railroad Completed
In 1862 the United States government charted two railroad companies to start at oppisite sides of the country and build a long railroad that crossed the midwest, allowing travel to be faster and safer. -
Alexander Graham Bell Patents Telephone
At the time the telephone was not fully functioning, but it proved to be the first method of transmitting a human voice long distances nearly instantaneously. -
Munn v. Illinois,
This case was caused by the government creating laws that set maximum rates that could be charged to store or transport crops.
Munn and Scott, a grain warehouse firm, was accused of violating this law but appealed because the law was "unconstitutional."
The picture shows Chief Justice Waite who was involved in the trial. -
Thomas Edison Patents Lightbulb
Thomas Edison was an American inventor who created many inventions like the phonograph, a primitive telephone, and a comercially viable incandecant lightbulb. -
Haymarket Riot
The previous day police prevented a strike. Because of this, the strikers decided to meet in Haymarket Square the next day. A group of police showed up to break up the crowd. An unknown person threw a bomb and the police shot back. Seven police officers and four to eight protesters were killed, and 60 police and thirty to fourty protesters were injured. -
Interstate Commerce Act Enacted NEED MORE WORK
This act prevented railroads from creating unfair policies, such as charging more for short trips then long ones and not publicizing rates. -
John D. Rokefeller Establishes Standard Oil Company
This company had a monopoly on oil in the United States until 1911, and set the standard for other industries on competition. -
Sherman Anti-Trust Act Approved
This act prohibited "Trusts" - when a group of stockholders transfer shares from several companies to several "trustees" which would control the group of companies and this helped eliminate competition and form monopolies. -
Homestead Strike Leads to Battle
In a Carnegie Steel Company factory in Homestead, Pensylvania a labor dipute turns into a fight when the workers from the factory fight with "Pinkertons", a group of security guards hired to control the workers. The workers won the battle but were forced to surrender to United States troops. -
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Pullman Strike
This was a strike of railroad workers that disrupted rail traffic in the Midwest. The government handled it by using soldiers to force the strike to stop. -
Mother Jones
Mother Jones was a supporter of unions who encouraged striking to get what the workers wanted. She had lost everything to the Chicago Fire, and turned to the "Knights of Labor" where she made speeches and organized strikes. -
Eugene Debs Runs For President
Eugene Debs was a union leader and presidential canidate who supported workers' unions. He ran for president several times, but was always unsuccessful. -
First Manned Flight With A Heavier-Than-Air Aircraft
Orville Wright flies in a biplane 120 feet across level terain. This was the first airplane, and led to a new era of transportation where oceans could be crossed in hours rather then weeks. -
Lochner VS NY Decision
The supreme court ruled that creating laws for maximum hours a person could work was unconstitutional. This occured after a New York bakery owner, Joseph Lockner, was sentenced to inprisonment for allowing a worker to work longer then the 60 hour limit set by New York. The supreme court reversed the conviction of Lochner and on this date the supreme court ruled that any laws regulating hours were unconstitutional. -
Henry Ford Announces Model T
These cars were produced cheaply by assembly lines, allowing automobiles to be owned by the "ordinary man", rather then the extremely wealthy only.
