Age of Railroads

1. What problems did employees of the railroad companies face?
Employees of the railroad companies faced many problems.  Many of the Irish workers faced disease and Native American attacks while the Chinese workers have climate issues.   One of these types of issues was the snow and cold temperatures that surrounded the camps and workplaces of the workers.  Another problem was that the Chinese workers had to supply their own food.  Also, there were often long hours for railroad workers, such as from dawn to dusk.

2. What was it like to live as a Pullman employee in the town of Pullman?
Living in the town of Pullman as a Pullman employee was a little like living a city.  The apartment buildings were made of brick and the fact that each one contained many windows made them very nice apartments for the time.  No one was allowed to drink alcohol or hang around on the front steps of buildings.  Those were just two examples of the control over the town.  The rent was also set by Pullman.  This town also consisted of shops, doctors' offices, and a field for athletics.

3. Who was involved in Crédit Mobilier, and what was the purpose of this company?
The Republican Party, mainly representatives in Congress around 1867, Vice-President Schuyler Colfax and James Garfield, were involved in Crédit Mobilier, as well as Crédit Mobilier and its stockholders.  Garfield was a congressman at the time, but would later become president.  The purpose of Crédit Mobilier was to have the stockholder that were part of the Union Pacific Railroad make a contract with Crédit Mobilier to have railroad tracks produced for much more than they actually cost.  Then the stocks were given out as bribes to members of congress and other parts of the government.  The company was mainly created to create large profits and bribe the government while doing very little and getting away with it.

4. In what ways did the railroad companies use their power to hurt farmers?
Railroad companies used their power to hurt farmers.  They would not sell the government land grants to settlers, although this was what the government had wanted.  Instead, they would sell to businesses.  Also, railroads tried to make prices hard on farmers so they would stay in debt.  Tied into this is the fact that they would charge less for long hauls than short hauls because there was not other choice for short hauls. That was how the railroad companies used their power.

5. Why didn’t the decision in the Munn v. Illinois case succeed in checking the power of the railroads?
The Munn v. Illinois case did not succeed because the federal government still had control over business between states.  So if the railroad was going between states, the states could not regulate the railroad and decrease the amount of discrimination.  Since many of the trips were between states, the case did not really succeed in checking the power, which would mean making prices fair, of the railroads.

6. Why didn’t the Interstate Commerce Act immediately limit the power of the railroads?
The Interstate Commerce Act did not limit the power of the railroad immediately.  This is because there were many legal procedures that had to be completed before they could limit the power.  Also, the railroads were resisting the government limiting their power and many almost went bankrupt in the 1890s.  Then, in 1897, it was decided by the Supreme Court that a maximun fair for railroads could not be set.  All of these events contributed to the ICC not truly being effective until 1906.

Expansion of Industry

After the Civil War, the United States was still a mostly rural nation. By the 1920s, it had become the leading industrial nation of the world. This immense change was caused by four major factors. Answer the questions for the first two factors.

Factor 1: Abundant Natural Resources

A. Which resources played crucial roles in industrialization?

The resources that played a crucial role in industrialization were oil and steel, which came from iron ore.  Coal was also important.

B. How did Edwin L. Drake help industry to acquire larger quantities of oil?

Edwin L. Drake helped and used the industry to acquire large quantities of oil.  He used a steam engine to drill for the oil.  This efficient way of drilling for oil spread to from Pennsylvania to Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Texas.  That would later increase the petroleum-refining industries.  From petroleum refining, gasoline was created and would later be used to run cars.  All from Edwin L. Drake using the steam engine.

C. How did the Bessemer process allow better use of iron ore?

The Bessemer process would allow for better use of iron ore.  Iron was once used, but it would rust and break.  Iron was made from iron ore.  When the carbon was removed from the iron, it would become steel, which does not rust and is more pliable.  The Bessemer process was one that manufactured steel.  Since steel was a better product, iron ore was used more because of the Bessemer process.

D. What new uses for steel were developed at this time?

 Many new uses for steel were developed at the time.  The metal was used for railroad tracks, bridges, and tall buildings. The Brooklyn Bridge, finished in 1883, was made of steel, as well as the first skyscraper, designed by William Le Baron Jenney.  Also, barbed wire helped increase food production because it made the plains better for farming.  Those were four new uses for steel.

Factor 2: Increasing number of Inventions

A. How did Thomas Alva Edison contribute to this development? 

Thomas Alva Edison contributed to the development of inventions in many ways.  He created the first research laboratory in New Jersey in 1876.  He also perfected the light bulb in 1880 and created a system that would create and distribute electricity.  This allowed for many machines be run, machines that might have been involved in inventions.  Also, it made transportation less expensive, which might have led to an invention.  Another contribution might have been the lengthening of the work day created by the light from the light bulb.   Thomas Alva Edison clearly made several contributions to the development of inventions.

B. How did George Westinghouse contribute to it? 

George Westinghouse contributed much int eh same way.  He made electricity less expensive and safer.  This was it could power more machines because more people could afford it and it was probably more trusted because it was safer.  More machines often meant more inventions of different types of thing as well as improving machines.  Also, the electricity led to electric streetcars being prevalent.  Those are some of the contribution George Westinghouse made.

C. How did Christopher Sholes contribute? 

Christopher Sholes contributed thru his invention of the typewriter in 1867.  This changed the way people worked and allowed information to be recorded in a new way that was most likely quicker.  this would make business and industry more efficient.  

D. How did Alexandar Graham Bell contribute? 

Alexandar Graham Bell contributed with the telephone in 1876.  This increased fast communication and, therefore, faster business and industry.  Also, new jobs for women were created with both the typewriter and telephone.

Factor 3: Expanding Urban Populations Provided new markets for inventions and industrial goods; and provided a ready supply of labor for industry

Factor 4: Government Support of Rapid Industrialization