The slavery in the United States began in 1607, soon after the English colonists first settled in Virginia and lasted until the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution passed in 1865. From 1654 to 1865 slavery was legal in the United States and most slaves were black people held by whites. Some Native Americans and blacks also held slaves, and there were also a small number of white slaves as well. The majority of slaveholding was in the Southern States of the U.S. Nearly four million slaves were held in a population just over 12 million in 15 states in which slavery was legal. The majority of slave-owners were planters, or as historians refer to as those who held 20 or more slaves. On plantations the crop was mostly cotton, tobacco, sugar cane and rice. In the first half of the 19th century the wealth of the United States were greatly enhanced by the labor of Afro Americans.
The industrial revolution
The industrial revolution (1820 – 1870) was a big part of the economic development for the United States. The revolution itself refers to a change from hand and home production to machine and factory. Because of the war between America and Great Britain in 1812, America needed a better transportation system and more economic independence. Therefore, manufactory expanded. Three important developments where involved in the industrialization of America. First, the transportation was expanded. Second, electricity was effectively exploited. Third, improvements were made to industrial processes, such as improving the refining processes and accelerating production.
The first proposal to build a railroad in the United States came in 1813 from Oliver Evans. He had an idea of building a railway that would connect New York with Philadelphia using carriages drawn by steam engines. Many companies have claimed to have build the first railroad in the US, but in the mid 1830’s many companies were using steam-powered locomotives. Between 1840 and 1860 the total length of railroad tracks increased from 5,353 km to 49,250 km. The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 made the efficiency and profit for companies rise like never before.
The DeWitt Clinton, one of the first locomotives in the US (Source)
In the fifty year gap between the Civil War and World War I, a massive immigration and quick industrialization formed the US as a strong and urban nation. The height of immigration was at the beginning of the 19th century and the immigrants were willing to work under any circumstances and under almost any wages. It was this period in the American history when big industrial empires were established and people like John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie made huge fortunes of oil and steel. In 1913 the assembly-line methods were introduced and Henry Ford revolutionized the car-making industry. His T-model who earlier had taken 12 hours and 28 minutes to build, now took 1 hour and 33 minutes. Now the mass-production had arrived and manufactories produced goods cheaply in large quantities.
Model T assembly line (Source)
American imperialism
The interest that America has in Hawaii goes back to when the first tradesmen traveled the Pacific during the post – revolution age. Hawaii was an important stopping off place for ships that were going to China or Japan. In the early 19th century the first American missionaries arrived at the island and the scenery, climate and valuable crops like sugar and fruits caught their attention. America did not make any moves to conquest Hawaii, but the American policy constantly sought to keep other influences away from the islands.
The Spanish-American war started with the Americans did not like the way the Spaniards treated the Cubans. An American battleship that was stationed in Havana was blown up and the Americans blamed the Spanish. On the April the 24th 1898 Spain declared war against the U.S and the following day the U.S did the same. The war lasted for approximately four months and the American won it easily. The Treaty of Paris was signed 10. December 1898 and Spain lost Cuba, Guam and Puerto Rico to the U.S. The Americans also gained control over the Philippines. After the victory over Spain the U.S wanted better access for its navy, both in the Pacific and the Atlantic. American officials negotiated the Hay – Pauncefote Treaty with Britain in 1901, and the two countries made an agreement that the United States would build and have control over the Panama Canal.
Troops on their way to Cuba (Source)
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_and_industrial_history_of_the_United_States
http://americanhistory.about.comd/od/industrialrev/a/indrevoverview.htm
http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=22933
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_the_United_States
http://www.sagehistory.net/worldpower/imperialism.htm
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