What is a revolution?
Define Revolution
A big rapid change in how society works
Define Industrialization
A shift to powered, special purpose machinery, factories, and mass production
How did Entrepreneurs impact the Industrial Revolution?
Risk-taking entrepreneurs built America’s industries.
Entrepreneurs invested in or started new businesses
Which 2 groups were negatively affected by the building of the transcontinental railroad?
Chinese Immigrants and Native Americans
Why is it referred to as the Gilded Age?
Gilded means covered in gold. From the outside everything looked great. Seems like it was an era of prosperity but most were struggling and poor.
Name the 4 types of Revolutions
Political, Economic, Technological, Cultural
When did the 1st Industrial Revolution occur? When did the 2nd Industrial Revolution occur?
1st Industrial Revolution: Late 1700s to early 1800s
Textiles, iron, coal, and steam power
Spinning jenny, steam engine, power lume
2nd Industrial Revolution: Late 1800s into the 1900s
Internal combustion engine, bessemer process, telegraph, telephone, electric light
Rise of consumer goods and global markets
How did Natural Resources impact the Industrial Revolution?
America’s coal, oil, iron, and lumber fueled industry. Natural resources gave the U.S. a huge advantage in industrial growth
How was the labor of Chinese immigrants used to build the transcontinental railroad?
Chinese immigrants were paid very little and dealt with harsh working conditions and little pay. They did the deadliest tasks such as blowing through mountains and using extremely hot chemicals to do so.
Why is the Gilded Age considered an Age of Extremes?
At this moment, there are only the extreme poor and the extremely wealthy. The wealthy are making a huge profit off the work of the poor individuals, while the poor are struggling to survive.
Name 1 Technological Invention and explain how it helped society
Wheel – Made transport and trade easier.
Printing Press – Spread ideas widely and cheaply.
Steam Engine – Powered factories, trains, and ships.
Electric Light – Extended working hours, changed cities.
Internet – Transformed communication and access to information.
List 3 positives that came out of the 2nd Industrial Revolution
Cheaper goods
Higher standard of living
New energy sources
Advances in transportation → easier travel, trade, & services
Higher wages
Exploration & investments
Industrialized nations became world leaders
How did new technologies impact the Industrial Revolution?
New inventions made work faster, easier, and more efficient.
Electricity let factories run longer hours
Steel was stronger than iron, used for skyscrapers, bridges, and railroads
Light bulb (Edison) kept factories open at night
Telephone (Bell) improved communication for businesses and families
Describe the owners of the Transcontinental Railroad.
How did they act?
Rich railroad owners - burned through tax payer money
Bribed government officials: paid off congressmen so they would not investigate the railroads for wasting tax money
Used the government provided money that they made to buy up other companies, then would force those companies to use ONLY their railroads
They evaded paying taxes
Bad employers
What was a sweatshop and why were they used?
A factory or workshop where workers were employed for long hours and low wages in poor conditions. Factory owners knew they could exploit desperate people and use them for cheap labor.
What was the agricultural revolution and where did it take place?
Britain; Needed to grow more food for growing population; Farmers wanted efficiency so new farming tools were being created such as seed drill and crop rotation
List 3 Negatives that came out of the 2nd Industrial Revolution
Increased crime
Population boom stressed resources
More income inequality
Rise of cities → urban problems (crowding, sanitation)
Growth of capitalism shifted power and wealth
How did the Civil War and Immigration impact the Industrial Revolution?
The Civil War sped up production and immigration increased the workforce.
How were Native Americans affected by the building of the railroad?
The railroads forced Native Americans onto reservations (worst land) and thousands of buffalo were killed. While on the reservations, they were forced to learn english and go to schools that would "civilize" them.
What is a company town and why did employers create them?
A community where people relied on their employer to provide housing and services. Many laborers, were forced to live in isolated communities near their workplaces.
They forced the workers to always be indebted to the employers.
Explain how the Agricultural Revolution led to the Industrial Revolution
More food with fewer workers → population growth.
Many farm workers moved to cities for factory jobs.
Extra wealth from farming invested in factories and machines.
More people could afford goods → increased demand for products.
Explain why life was "kind of awful" before industrialization.
No time for leisure, innovation.
No electricity, plumbing.
Everything needs to be made by hand.
Famine and food of desperation
How did Capitalism and Laissez-Faire impact the Industrial Revolution?
Capitalism → businesses were privately owned, not run by the government -> Competition and Entrepreneurship
Laissez-faire → government had little interference in the economy
How did the Transcontinental Railroad help the United States economically?
Transport goods and people faster
New businesses are made
More jobs: By the end, about 1 MILLION people worked for the railroad
Growth of cities & towns; Every 8 miles
Provide 3 examples of what working conditions were like during the Industrial Revolution.
6 days a week – 12 to 16 hours a day; No Breaks!
Dirty working conditions
If you get hurt or killed, you and your family were abandon.
Most received .10 an hour - $8 to $10 a week
Women and children were paid less. – pregnant women often fired
No benefits or days off.