Chapter 14: Forging the National Economy 1790-1860 Flashcards
- How does the image of the frontier compare with the reality of pioneer life as described in the chapter?
The stereotypical image of a pioneer living on the frontier is a strong, heroic man who turns the rugged woods into civilized territory. Many movies portray frontier living with more glamour than it actually had. Contrary to these stereotypes, pioneers often lived in extremely difficult situations. Many were underfed, disease stricken, depressed, and lonely. Pioneers often died young, and many women became isolated and driven to madness because of their loneliness. Men lost extremities such as noses and eyes in a form of fighting called no-holds-barred wrestling in which playing dirty was perfectly acceptable. Wrestling was a popular form of pioneer entertainment. Pioneers embodied the “rugged individualist” that President Andrew Jackson targeted in his campaign.
- Which technological innovation was most important for early-nineteenth-century economic development?
One of the most important technological innovations for the development of the early-nineteenth-century economy was the steamboat. The steamboat gained popularity after Robert Fulton installed a steam engine into the Clermont and drastically increased the speed and efficiency of water travel. The Clermont traveled 150 miles in thirty-two hours. The steamboat began to be used widely. It brought many benefits that previous crafts could not boast of, such as the ability to travel against the wind and water currents. By 1860, a thousand steamboats traveled the Mississippi river. The adoption of the steamboat helped increase population in the South and West and bolstered trade. More people moved to these areas and started cotton and cash crop farms. Farmers, manufacturers, small business holders, and others could now send their produce to other areas for a much lower cost.
- What effects did the movement from a subsistence to a market economy have on American society, including farmers, laborers, and women? What were the advantages and disadvantages of the change?
The movement from a subsistence to a market economy affected farmers, laborers, women, and American society as a whole. Farmers benefitted from the creation of inventions that allowed them to produce more crops as well as harvest them more efficiently. One such invention was the cotton gin, a device that helped to remove cotton fiber from the seed with much less effort than had previously been required. Laborers also benefitted from these inventions. The increase in mechanical inventions led to the development of more factories, which in turn created more jobs for laborers, men, women, and immigrants. The development of factories played a part in the lives of women all over America. With an increase in factories, homemade goods were no longer as necessary. Single women began to work in factories and families began to have fewer children with the increase in contraceptive use and the growing power of women to make their own decisions. Advantages such as economic growth, a greater voice for women, an increase in the output of goods, a drop in the prices of goods, and advances in technology all came about as a result of the move to a market economy, but there were also disadvantages spurred on by this change. Many factory workers were required to work for long hours in harsh conditions. The pay for unskilled workers was very low, and often factory work was dangerous
