Chapter 17 Notes

Tuesday, March 31, 2020 6:25 PM

Chapter 17: Industrial Supremacy pg. 458-485

Summary:
This chapter discusses the rise of big businesses and its' social, economic, and political impact
American society. It focuses on factors that led to this centralization of big businesses and the
that it exerted over the government.

Which themes are most relevant to this chapter and why? (see p. 484)
I believe that "Identity" and "Work, Exchange, and Technology" are the most important theme
chapter, since it focuses on the rise of big business and its ESP impact on American society. W
working class and migrants, there would be no frequent progressions in technology or work- a
without those, big businesses would not be as successful.

Define Gilded Age

The "Gilded Age" is defined as the period following the Reconstruction era. It was a period of
transformation in the economy, technology, government, and social customs in America- thes
transformations forged a national industrial society out of what had initially been small region
communities. Many new corporations and businesses gave rise to ultra-rich individuals, which
highlighted by the American upper class's opulence, along with the rise of American philanthro
Andrew Carnegie referred to as the "Gospel of Wealth". During the Gilded Age, the wealthy pr
private money to endow thousands of colleges, hospitals, museums, academies, schools, oper
public libraries, symphony orchestras, and charities. This period also is referred to as the “nad
American race relations,” a time when racism in the country is deemed to have been worse th
other period after the American Civil War.

List some of the technological developments discussed in this chapter

1. Samuel Morse- Invented the telegraph
a. Enabled people to communicate over distances
2. Henry Bessemer- Produced large quantities of steel efficiently and affordable
a. By pumping air through a converter filled with molten iron, the impurities within t
were burnt out yielding high grade steel.
b. Used to build railroads
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 a. Enabled people to communicate over distances
2. Henry Bessemer- Produced large quantities of steel efficiently and affordable
a. By pumping air through a converter filled with molten iron, the impurities within t
were burnt out yielding high grade steel.
b. Used to build railroads
3. Alexander Graham Bell- Invented the telephone
a. This allowed people to communicate faster and over distances.
4. Thomas Edison- Invented the first electric light bulb.
a. This cut down the use of expensive copper.
b. He also invented the phonograph, early motion picture cameras and projectors, a
commercial electric power system.

How are these topics connected: Bessemer, Pennsylvania Railroad, George Bissell? Use arro
connect ideas.
Bessemer process- made stronger rails for constructing the railroads and helped to make stron
machines and innovative architectural structures like skyscrapers

Pennsylvania Railroad- By 1882, the Pennsylvania Railroad had become the largest railroad (by
and revenue), the largest transportation enterprise, and the largest corporation in the world

George Bissell- an entrepreneur and industrialist who is often considered the father of the Am
industry

George Bissell Bessemer process Pennsylvani

Discuss the successes of Carnegie and Rockefeller. What were some of the problems with
monopolies?
Successes:
• "By the 1800s, Rockefeller had established such dominance within the petroleum indust
much of the nation he served as the leading symbol of monopoly."
• In steel, the central figure was Andrew Carnegie… who worked his way up from modest
beginnings and in 1873 opened his own steelworks in Pittsburgh. Soon he dominated th
industry."

Supply can be restricted to keep prices high. This leads to scarcity. Thus, a monopoly can cause
equilibrium between supply and demand. (Meaning that monopolies are able to control prices
regardless of the scarcity of that product).

Explain this: “America’s more rapid development in the 20th century is in part a product of t
market’s success in harnessing knowledge from the academic world and elsewhere more eff
than the competitors abroad.”

I believe that this statement is referring to the rise of education, and therefore a rise in techno
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Explain this: “America’s more rapid development in the 20th century is in part a product of t
market’s success in harnessing knowledge from the academic world and elsewhere more eff
than the competitors abroad.”

I believe that this statement is referring to the rise of education, and therefore a rise in techno
advances. During the Gilded Age, the American upper class (wealthy because of the success of
businesses) provided private money to endow thousands of colleges, museums, academies, sc
public libraries that aided in this rise of education. Because of this, more Americans were able
harness knowledge from the academic world and apply it to industrialization.

Define Capitalism. How did it relate to the “self made man?”

Capitalism is an "economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are con
private owners for profit, rather than by the state". This relates to the "self made man" becau
typical self-made man came from humble beginnings and eventually prospered through a succ
business. Capitalism allows for the individuals of a country to work for themselves rather than
government, allowing them to achieve this label of a "self made man".

Define Social Darwinism and Gospel of Wealth? Who supported it and why? What is its sign
this chapter?
Social Darwinism- Social Darwinists believe in “survival of the fittest”—the idea that certain pe
become powerful in society because they are innately better. Social Darwinism has been used
imperialism, racism, eugenics and social inequality at various times over the past century and

Gospel of Wealth- The Gospel of Wealth was an idea made popular by industrialist Andrew Ca
1889. Its main idea was that the rich should give their money to institutions or ideas that prom
poor to cultivate “better” habits. The Gospel of Wealth was significant because it challenged S
Darwinism in the idea that everyone in society should be financially stable.

Who were some of the “alternative philosophers” and what were their philosophies?
Lester Frank Ward- Ward supported the idea of equality of women as well as the equality of a
and races in society. He believed in universal education as a means of achieving this equality.

Henry George- Henry George is best remembered as a proponent of the “single tax” on land. T
government should finance all of its projects, he argued, with proceeds from only one tax. Thi
would be on the unimproved value of land—the value that the land would have if it were in its
state with no buildings, no landscaping, and so on.

Explain the role of immigration throughout 1865-1900--The Industrial Revolution period.

With the growth of factories and the demand for unskilled labor, immigrants, primarily young
the working years, continued to be the ideal source of labor. Immigrants were generally more
accept lower wages and inferior working conditions than native born workers. Thus, immigran
essential factor to the development of businesses and American industrialization.
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 Explain the role of immigration throughout 1865-1900--The Industrial Revolution period.
With the growth of factories and the demand for unskilled labor, immigrants, primarily young
the working years, continued to be the ideal source of labor. Immigrants were generally more
accept lower wages and inferior working conditions than native born workers. Thus, immigran
essential factor to the development of businesses and American industrialization.

Although the standard of living increased after the Civil War, list some of the challenges face
workers.
Immigrants also faced resentment from workers who saw them as competing for jobs. ... Nativ
Americans blamed immigrants for everything from slums and crime to hard times. Fearing com
for jobs, many labor leaders stoked the fires of prejudice, especially against nonwhites.

Why were unions organized? Who are the Knights of Labor and AFL?
The Knights organized unskilled and skilled workers, campaigned for an eight hour workday, a
to form a cooperative society in which laborers owned the industries in which they worked.
The AFL sought tangible economic gains, such as higher wages, shorter hours, and better cond
addition to staying out of politics.

Event (What happened? + Effect)

1. Great Railroad Strike- The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 started on July 14 in Martinsburg, Wes
in response to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) cutting wages of workers for the third tim
year.
- Effect: Striking workers would not allow any of the trains, mainly freight trains, to roll un
third wage cut was revoked. By the time the strikes were over, about 1,000 people had g
and some 100 had been killed.
2. Homestead Strike- The Homestead Strike of 1892 was one of the most bitterly fought industria
in the history of U.S. labor. Management and labor of The Homestead Steel Works had been lo
negotiations for several months when plant general manager Henry C. Frick announced wage
nearly 20 percent. The union balked at the reductions and Frick closed the plant on June 30.
- Effect: The Homestead strike was a total defeat for the workers and unionism as a whole
3. Pullman Strike- Strike affected rail transportation nationwide, essentially bringing American bu
a halt. Workers resented not only cut in wages, but management's intrusiveness into their per
lives. The federal government became involved, with federal troops being sent to open railroa
- Effect: The massive disruption of rail traffic and the violent confrontations convinced ma
Americans that class conflict between capital and labor had reached a crisis stage that n
solution in the public interest. In the short term, the fear of more violence limited union
and the courts acted to suppress strikes.

Write a thesis statement for one of the essay questions (pg. 485)
Short Answer 6A.:
As the expansion of factories and businesses became more prominent in the United Stat
demand for unskilled labor increased, leaving immigrants to be viewed as the ideal sour
as they were willing to accept inferior wages and working conditions than those native-b
proving that immigrants were an essential factor to the development of businesses and
industrialization
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Short Answer 6A.:
As the expansion of factories and businesses became more prominent in the United Stat
demand for unskilled labor increased, leaving immigrants to be viewed as the ideal sour
as they were willing to accept inferior wages and working conditions than those native-b
proving that immigrants were an essential factor to the development of businesses and
industrialization
 tes, the
rce of labor
born, thus
American