A Technological A Technological RevolutionRevolution

Daily life 1865Daily life 1865

Indoor electricity did not existIndoor electricity did not exist Activities depended on the rise and set Activities depended on the rise and set

of the sunof the sun No refrigeration- ice was a high costNo refrigeration- ice was a high cost Long distance communication was Long distance communication was

slowslow– 10 days for mail to reach Midwest from 10 days for mail to reach Midwest from

east coasteast coast– 3 weeks from coast to coast3 weeks from coast to coast– Months to get mail from EuropeMonths to get mail from Europe

Investing in technologyInvesting in technology Patents- license that gave inventor Patents- license that gave inventor

exclusive rights to productexclusive rights to product– 1790-1860- 36,000 patents1790-1860- 36,000 patents– 1860-1890- 500,000 patents1860-1890- 500,000 patents– Typewriter, telephone, and phonographTypewriter, telephone, and phonograph

Business leaders began to invest in Business leaders began to invest in inventionsinventions

Create new industries and expand old onesCreate new industries and expand old ones 1900 American standard of living was one of 1900 American standard of living was one of

the highestthe highest– Result of industrial productivity- amount of goods Result of industrial productivity- amount of goods

and services created in a certain period of timeand services created in a certain period of time

OilOil

1858 Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company sent 1858 Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company sent Edwin L Drake to drill for oilEdwin L Drake to drill for oil– Previously by melting fat from a whale or Previously by melting fat from a whale or

digging large pitsdigging large pits Expensive and time consumingExpensive and time consuming

1859 Drake struck oil and became a major 1859 Drake struck oil and became a major industryindustry– Made kerosene out of oil Made kerosene out of oil – Gasoline (byproduct) was seen as a waste and Gasoline (byproduct) was seen as a waste and

thrown awaythrown away

Thomas EdisonThomas Edison

Left his job in 1876 to become an inventorLeft his job in 1876 to become an inventor– said he could produce a minor invention every said he could produce a minor invention every

10 days and a big invention every 6 months10 days and a big invention every 6 months created the light bulb in 1880 created the light bulb in 1880 needed to have a generator to use needed to have a generator to use

electricityelectricity– 1882 created a power plant in NYC that lit 1882 created a power plant in NYC that lit

dozens of buildingsdozens of buildings– By 1890 power plants spread across the nationBy 1890 power plants spread across the nation

Lewis Latimer-patented an improved Lewis Latimer-patented an improved method for the filament of a light bulbmethod for the filament of a light bulb– Wrote a book about electric lightingWrote a book about electric lighting

George Westinghouse- used alternating George Westinghouse- used alternating current instead of direct currentcurrent instead of direct current– Could travel longer distanceCould travel longer distance– Transformer to boost electricityTransformer to boost electricity

Easier for home use of electricityEasier for home use of electricity

General Electric and Westinghouse Electric General Electric and Westinghouse Electric were createdwere created– Electricity helped improve productivity of many Electricity helped improve productivity of many

businessbusiness Ex. Clothing- use of electric sewing machineEx. Clothing- use of electric sewing machine

– Created jobsCreated jobs Use of home appliances grew in cities- but Use of home appliances grew in cities- but

not all people could afford to buy not all people could afford to buy appliancesappliances

Rural areas took longer Rural areas took longer

CommunicationCommunication

Samuel F.B. Morse created the Morse Samuel F.B. Morse created the Morse code code

Companies joined together to make Companies joined together to make the Western Union Telegraph the Western Union Telegraph CompanyCompany– 1870- 100,000 miles of wire and 9 1870- 100,000 miles of wire and 9

million telegraph messagesmillion telegraph messages– 1900- 900,000 miles of wire and 63 1900- 900,000 miles of wire and 63

million telegraph messagesmillion telegraph messages

TelephoneTelephone

Alexander Graham Bell created the Alexander Graham Bell created the telephone that used long distance telephone that used long distance telephone linestelephone lines– Started with only connecting to two Started with only connecting to two

places places – Created switchboards that would Created switchboards that would

connect an entire cityconnect an entire city 1878- 21 customers 1878- 21 customers 1900-1.5 million customers1900-1.5 million customers

RailroadRailroad NO standard for train tracksNO standard for train tracks Often only went from one city to the next and Often only went from one city to the next and

mostly in eastern part of the nationmostly in eastern part of the nation Transcontinental Railroad- railroad that went from Transcontinental Railroad- railroad that went from

east coast to west coasteast coast to west coast– 1862- east coast to Mississippi River and from Omaha to 1862- east coast to Mississippi River and from Omaha to

SacramentoSacramento– Us government had to fund the rest of the track because Us government had to fund the rest of the track because

private companies did not want to private companies did not want to Government believed that it would strengthen the economyGovernment believed that it would strengthen the economy

– Hired Central Pacific Railroad- laid track east from Hired Central Pacific Railroad- laid track east from SacramentoSacramento

– Union Pacific Railroad worked west from OmahaUnion Pacific Railroad worked west from Omaha After 7 years they met in what is now UtahAfter 7 years they met in what is now Utah

1870- railroads could transport goods and 1870- railroads could transport goods and passengers passengers – Noisy, dirty, and uncomfortableNoisy, dirty, and uncomfortable

New technologies New technologies – Steel rails replaced ironSteel rails replaced iron– Track gauges and signals were standardTrack gauges and signals were standard– Improved safety-Westinghouse improved breaksImproved safety-Westinghouse improved breaks– Telegraph system so trains would not collideTelegraph system so trains would not collide

Towns were built around railroadsTowns were built around railroads Time zones set up due to confusion of passengersTime zones set up due to confusion of passengers Shipping costs decreasedShipping costs decreased

– 1865- $3.45 to go from Chicago to New York1865- $3.45 to go from Chicago to New York– 1895-$0.681895-$0.68

Railroad Revolutionized Railroad Revolutionized businessesbusinesses

Faster and more practical way of Faster and more practical way of transporting goodstransporting goods

Lower costs of productionLower costs of production– Trains were the cheapest way to transport Trains were the cheapest way to transport

goods to goods were set at a lower pricegoods to goods were set at a lower price Creation of national marketsCreation of national markets

– People could now sell products around the People could now sell products around the nationnation

– Resources needed to produce goods could be Resources needed to produce goods could be obtained from anywhere in the countryobtained from anywhere in the country

Model for big businessModel for big business– Professional manager and specialized Professional manager and specialized

department came from railroad industrydepartment came from railroad industry Stimulation for other industriesStimulation for other industries

– Bessemer Process- cheaper and easier Bessemer Process- cheaper and easier way to remove impurities from ironway to remove impurities from iron

– Made mass production possibleMade mass production possible

Brooklyn BridgeBrooklyn Bridge

Many people who worked in Manhattan Many people who worked in Manhattan lived in Brooklynlived in Brooklyn– The only way to get to Manhattan was to ferry The only way to get to Manhattan was to ferry

across the East River across the East River Became hard in the winterBecame hard in the winter

John A Roebling designed the suspension John A Roebling designed the suspension bridge to cross the riverbridge to cross the river– Died shortly after the start so his son took over Died shortly after the start so his son took over

the processthe process Started in 1869 and finished in 1883Started in 1869 and finished in 1883 Became a symbol of American SuccessBecame a symbol of American Success