TECHNOLOGICAL Innovation in the Gilded Age [APUSH Review Unit 6 Topic 5] Period 6: 1865-1898

Summary

In this engaging video, the host delves into the transformative impact of industrialization on American history, focusing on the pivotal role of technology. The narrative highlights the railroad as a cornerstone innovation, enabling mass production and consumption by facilitating the transportation of goods across the nation. The federal government's support through land grants and subsidies catalyzed the expansion of the railroad network, leading to the construction of four new transcontinental railroads. The Bessemer Process, developed by Henry Bessemer, revolutionized steel production, while the availability of natural resources like coal and oil fueled industrial growth. The telegraph and the telephone, invented by Samuel Morse and Alexander Graham Bell respectively, revolutionized communication, creating international markets and connecting the globe. This summary encapsulates the essence of the video, inviting viewers to explore the technological advancements that shaped the American industrial era.

Takeaways

• 🚂 **Railroads:** The development of the railroad was a key technological innovation that facilitated mass production and consumption, creating a national market for goods.
• 📈 **Post-Civil War Expansion:** After the Civil War, the miles of railroads in the U.S. increased five-fold, largely due to government support.
• 💰 **Government Support:** The federal government provided land grants and loan subsidies to railroad companies, granting around 170 million acres of land for railroad construction.
• 🌐 **Transcontinental Railroads:** By the end of the century, four new transcontinental railroads were built, connecting various regions and creating easier access for trade.
• 🔨 **Steel Production:** The Bessemer Process, patented by Henry Bessemer, allowed for the mass production of higher quality steel, which was crucial for the expansion of industry.
• ⛏️ **Natural Resources:** Access to coal and oil played a significant role in industrialization, with coal initially being the primary energy source before oil took over.
• 📡 **Telegraph Innovation:** The telegraph revolutionized long-distance communication, connecting different regions and creating an international market for commodities.
• 📞 **Telephone Development:** Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone further improved communication, with 50,000 telephones in use by the end of 1880.
• 🌟 **Technological Advancements:** Collectively, these technological innovations in transportation, steel production, and communication set the stage for industrial growth and expansion.
• 🌍 **Global Impact:** The advancements in communication and transportation technologies not only unified the U.S. but also connected it to the global market.
• 📚 **AP U.S. History Curriculum:** The video script is part of a review for Unit 6, Topic 5 of the AP U.S. History curriculum, focusing on the industrialization of America.

Q & A

What was the major theme discussed in the video?

The major theme discussed in the video was the industrialization of America, focusing on its causes and effects.

How did the industrialization change the way goods were produced in the United States?

Prior to industrialization, goods were made for personal use or local/regional sale. Industrialization led to mass production of goods for global sale.

What was the significance of the railroad in the industrialization process?

The railroad provided a quick and easy means of transporting goods, creating a national market for sales and enabling mass production and consumption.

How did the federal government support the construction of railroads?

The federal government supported railroad construction by providing land grants and loan subsidies, granting around 170 million acres of land for this purpose.

What was the impact of the Bessemer Process on steel production?

The Bessemer Process allowed for the production of much stronger and higher quality steel in greater quantities than ever before.

Why was access to natural resources like coal and oil important for industrialization?

Natural resources like coal and oil were crucial as they served as the primary energy sources for factories and locomotives, driving the industrialization process.

How did the telegraph contribute to the expansion of industry?

The telegraph allowed for long-distance communication at the speed of electricity, connecting various regions of the United States and creating an international market for goods.

What was the role of the trans-Atlantic cable in the context of the video?

The trans-Atlantic cable connected America to Europe, facilitating international communication and trade, particularly for basic goods like coal, oil, steel, and grain.

Who invented the telephone and how did it impact communication?

Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. It further improved communication by allowing voice transmission over long distances, and by the end of 1880, there were around 50,000 telephones in use in America.

What was the purpose of the video in the context of the AP U.S. History curriculum?

The video aimed to review Unit 6 Topic 5 of the AP U.S. History curriculum, focusing on the latest technological innovations during the period of American industrialization.

How did the video script attempt to engage the audience?

The video script used a conversational tone, humor, and a casual style to engage the audience and make the historical content more relatable and interesting.

What was the call to action for viewers at the end of the video?

The call to action was for viewers to subscribe to the channel if they wanted more videos like this, indicating the importance of viewer engagement for the continuation of the series.

Outlines

00:00

🚂 The Impact of Industrialization and the Role of Railroads

The video discusses the significant transformation of the American industry during the late nineteenth century, focusing on the shift from local to mass production for global markets. The railroad is highlighted as a pivotal technological innovation that enabled this change by providing a fast and efficient means of transporting goods, leading to the expansion of a national market. The government's support through land grants and loan subsidies played a crucial role in the rapid growth of the railroad network, which in turn facilitated mass production and consumption.

Keywords

💡Industrialization

Industrialization refers to the process where a society shifts from an agrarian economy to one dominated by industry and machine manufacturing. In the context of the video, it is the central theme, as it discusses the transformation of the American economy during the late 19th century, where mass production of goods became possible, leading to significant changes in the way goods were made and sold.

💡Railroad

A railroad is a transportation system that uses rail tracks to guide vehicles such as trains. The script highlights the railroad as a pivotal technological innovation that facilitated the creation of a national market by enabling the efficient transportation of goods over long distances, which was crucial for the expansion of mass production and consumption.

💡Land Grants

Land grants are plots of land given by a government to individuals or organizations, often with the expectation that they will be used for a specific purpose. In the video, the federal government provided land grants and loan subsidies to railroad companies, enabling them to acquire the necessary land to build extensive railroad networks, which was a key factor in the industrialization process.

💡Bessemer Process

The Bessemer Process is a method for producing steel by blowing air through molten iron to remove impurities and create high-quality steel. Named after its inventor Henry Bessemer, this process is mentioned in the video as a significant technological advancement that allowed for the mass production of steel, which was essential for the construction of railroads and other industrial infrastructure.

💡Natural Resources

Natural resources are materials and sources found in nature that can be used for economic gain. The video discusses coal and oil as key natural resources that fueled industrialization. Coal was initially the primary energy source for factories and locomotives, and later, oil became the main fuel for industry and transportation, illustrating the critical role of these resources in powering the industrial economy.

💡Telegraph

The telegraph is a communication system that uses electrical signals to transmit messages over long distances. Invented by Samuel Morse, the telegraph is highlighted in the video as a key innovation that revolutionized communication, allowing for the rapid exchange of information and contributing to the creation of both national and international markets.

💡Trans-Atlantic Cable

A trans-Atlantic cable refers to the undersea telecommunication lines that connect North America to Europe. The video mentions the laying of a trans-Atlantic cable as a significant event that not only enabled communication between America and Europe but also facilitated the establishment of an international market for goods like coal, oil, steel, and grain.

💡Telephone

The telephone is a communication device that allows for the transmission of speech over distances. Invented by Alexander Graham Bell, the telephone is mentioned in the video as another key technological advancement in communication that further connected people and regions, contributing to the expansion of the industrial market.

💡Transcontinental Railroads

Transcontinental railroads are a network of railroads that span across a continent, connecting its eastern and western coasts. The video discusses the construction of four new transcontinental railroads in addition to the first one completed in 1869, which played a crucial role in linking different regions of the United States and creating a unified national market.

💡Mass Production

Mass production is the production of large quantities of goods, often using standardized machinery and processes. The video emphasizes mass production as a significant consequence of industrialization, where goods were no longer made for local or regional use but for a global market, leading to profound economic and societal changes.

💡Mass Consumption

Mass consumption refers to the widespread purchase and use of goods by consumers. The video connects mass consumption with the ability to transport goods easily over long distances due to the railroad system, which facilitated the sale of mass-produced goods to a broader consumer base.

Highlights

The industrialization of American had major impacts on how goods were produced and sold, shifting from local to global scale.

The railroad was a pivotal technological innovation that facilitated the creation of a national market for sales.

After the Civil War, the miles of railroads built increased five-fold, indicating rapid expansion.

The federal government played a significant role in railroad expansion by providing land grants and loan subsidies.

The government granted approximately 170 million acres of land to railroad companies.

Four new transcontinental railroads were built by the end of the century, linking various regions of the U.S.

The Bessemer Process, patented by Henry Bessemer in the 1850s, revolutionized steel production.

The Bessemer Process allowed for the production of higher quality steel in greater quantities.

Access to natural resources like coal and oil was crucial for industrialization and the operation of factories and locomotives.

The telegraph, invented by Samuel Morse, and its expansion during this period significantly improved long-distance communication.

The laying of a trans-Atlantic cable connected America to Europe, expanding the international market.

Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone in 1876 further revolutionized communication.

By the end of 1880, there were around 50,000 telephones in use in America.

The technological innovations of the period had profound effects on the production, transportation, and communication of goods.

The period saw the rise of mass production and mass consumption due to advancements in transportation and communication technologies.

The federal government's support was instrumental in the expansion of the railroad network and the industrialization of America.

The industrialization era led to the creation of a truly national and later international market for goods.

Transcripts

Hey there and welcome back to Heimler’s  History. So we’ve been going through Unit  

6 of the AP U.S. History curriculum and  in this video and the next couple we’re  

going to be considering a major theme of this  time period, namely the industrialization of  

American, both its causes and effects. So in  this video we be talking about technology,  

so if you’re ready to get them brain cows milked  on an industrial scale, then let’s get to it.

So during the last few decades of the nineteenth  century, industry in the United States changed  

significantly, and when I say industry, what  I mean is basically the way we made things to  

sell. And really the change comes down to this:  prior to industrialization, Americans made things  

either to use themselves or to be sold locally, or  at most regionally. During this period Americans  

began mass-producing goods to be sold all over the  world. And that had some significant consequences,  

but for now let’s just focus on the technology  that made such an innovation possible.

And the granddaddy of all these technological  innovations was the railroad. To have access to  

a quick and easy means of transporting  goods created the occasion for a truly  

national market for sales. And if goods  are easy to transport over long distances,  

that has the effect of opening up mass  production and mass consumption. And,  

wouldn’t you know it, it did. After the Civil War  the miles of railroads built increased five-fold.

Now a big part of what helped  the flurry of railroad building,  

as I’ve mentioned in a previous video, was  the generous hand of Big Daddy Government.  

The federal government could see that  expanding the networks of railroads  

and further connecting various parts of the  country would be good for the economy. But  

in order to build railroads there’s one  very important ingredient that you need,  

namely, land. And where would railroad companies  get the massive tracts of land required? Ya daddy.  

The federal government provided land grants and  loan subsidies to railroad companies. In the end,  

the government granted something like  170 million acres of land to this effort.

By the end of the century, four new  transcontinental railroads were built  

in addition to the first one finished in  1869. These connected Nebraska to California,  

New Orleans to Los Angeles,  Kansas City to Los Angeles,  

and Minnesota to Washington. So with all that  accomplished, the east and the west were now  

easily accessible to each other and this  created a national market for goods.

Now one of the reasons all of these railroads  could be built was because of another advance  

in technology, this one with regards to the  production of steel. In the 1850s an Englishman  

by the name of Henry Bessemer patented a process  for making steel of much stronger quality,  

and that process was called the Bessemer  Process. Essentially, the Bessemer process  

came down to this: blast air through molten  iron and you get much higher quality steel.  

Why does blasting air through molten iron  create better steel? I mean, I don’t know,  

it just does. The point is this new method  of steel production enabled manufacturers  

to produce a far greater quantity and great  quality of steel than had even been done before.

And yet another innovation that facilitated all  of this was greater access to natural resources  

like coal and oil, or if you’re like me and live  in Georgia, allow me to pronounce it correctly:  

coal and ole. Coal was the first major source of  energy for industrialization, both in factories  

and in locomotives, especially the hard coal  known as anthracite coal found mainly in Western  

Pennsylvania. Later, oil surpassed coal as the  main fuel of industry, and later automobiles.

And yet another innovation that set the  stage for the expansion of industry during  

this period had to do with communications. The  telegraph was invented by Samuel Morse in 1844,  

but it was during this period that telegraph  wires multiplied significantly. In this way  

communication could travel long distances at  the speed of electricity. And not only did  

the telegraph connect various regions of the  United States, but most notable during this  

period was the laying of a trans-Atlantic  cable connecting America to Europe.

And that didn’t just mean that Americans  and Europeans could chat about whatever  

was on their minds [say hey to your mom for  me lol]. This actually had the effect of  

creating an international market for basic  goods like coal, oil, steel, and grain.

But it didn’t stop with the telegraph. In 1876  Alexander Graham Bell further contributed to these  

same effects with the invention of the telephone.  [say hey to your mom for me…] He actually is  

LOLing. Within a year of its development,  Bell founded the Bell Telephone Company and  

by the end of 1880, there were something  like 50,000 telephones in use in America.

Okay, that’s a short one, but it is what  you need to know about Unit 6 topic 5 of  

It’s the latest technological innovation in  AP curriculum review. See what I did there?  

Here’s a playlist for more Unit 6 videos, and  if you want me to keep making these videos,  

then get that clicky finger out and  subscribe, and I shall oblige. Heimler out.