Simone Lawson
The Industrial Revolution, which began in Britain in the 18th century, was a period of major industrialization and innovation that transformed economies based on agriculture and handicrafts into economies based on large-scale industry, mechanized manufacturing, and the factory system. This revolution had a significant impact on the United States, where it was facilitated by the Constitution's protection of property rights and the federal government's power to levy tariffs and taxes. The Industrial Revolution in the US led to increased production, economic growth, and technological advancements, but it also resulted in social issues such as urbanization, wage labor, and labor unions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Protection of property rights | Facilitated industrialization and urbanization |
| Power to levy taxes and tariffs | Allowed the federal government to collect taxes and impose tariffs on foreign imports |
| Promotion of competition | Interstate Commerce Act (1887) |
| Land grants and loans | Provided to companies to build railroad lines |
| Homestead Act of 1862 | Promoted homeownership |
| Morrill Land-Grant College Act | Provided federal land to states for establishing colleges |
| Protective tariffs | Tax on imported goods that gave American products an advantage |
| National Currency Act of 1863 | Established a uniform national currency |
| Technological changes | New machines, power sources, and ways of organizing work |
| Employment opportunities | Increase in factory jobs and wages |
| Migration to cities | Population shift from rural to urban areas |
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What You'll Learn
Tariffs and taxes
During the American Revolution, the British blockade from 1775 to 1783 largely ended foreign trade. In the period following, from 1783 to 1789, each state set its own trade rules, often imposing tariffs or restrictions on neighbouring states. The new Constitution banned such interstate tariffs or trade restrictions, as well as state taxes on exports.
The Tariff Act of 1789, one of the first acts signed into law by the first Congress, allowed Congress to impose a fixed tariff of 5% on all imports, with some exceptions. This act served two purposes: promoting trade and raising revenue for the federal government. Alexander Hamilton, the first United States Secretary of Treasury, was a proponent of this legislation, viewing it as a way to protect American industries from foreign competition and promote long-term industrial growth. Excise taxes were also set on a few goods, such as whiskey, rum, tobacco, snuff, and refined sugar.
As the Republicans controlled the government until 1875, tariff rates became increasingly high. This protected large-scale American industries from foreign competition and allowed many small firms to survive. The wool industry, for example, benefited from a high tariff rate on imported wool, though this also meant that American manufacturers had to pay a higher cost for their raw materials.
The use of tariffs and taxes during the Industrial Revolution helped to generate revenue for the federal government and promote industrial growth in the United States.
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Protection of property rights
The Industrial Revolution, which began in Britain in the 18th century, was a period of economic transformation that spread to other parts of the world. It witnessed a shift from economies based on agriculture and handicrafts to those based on large-scale industry, mechanized manufacturing, and the factory system. The revolution brought about unprecedented economic growth, technological advancements, and social changes.
In the United States, the Constitution played a significant role in protecting property rights, which facilitated industrialization and urbanization. The Constitution's protection of property rights ensured that individuals' assets were secure, promoting economic development and encouraging innovation. Here are some key aspects of how the Constitution helped safeguard property rights during the Industrial Revolution:
Constitutional Provisions and Property Rights
The Constitution of the United States contained several provisions aimed at protecting the rights of property owners. For instance, the Constitution banned both Congress and the states from enacting bills of attainder, preventing the arbitrary confiscation of property, as had occurred during the Revolution. This measure ensured that individuals' property rights were respected and provided stability for those engaged in industrial pursuits.
Due Process and Compensation
The "law of the land" clause, derived from the Magna Carta, was a forerunner of the due process norm. It established the principle that the government must provide just compensation when acquiring private property for public use. This clause, found in several state constitutions, elevated the common-law rule of compensation to a constitutional right, providing a stronger guarantee for property owners.
Taxation and Representative Government
The Constitution granted Congress broad taxing authority but forbade the imposition of direct taxes unless they were apportioned among the states according to population. This limitation on congressional power ensured that taxation was fair and proportional, protecting individuals' property from excessive taxation. Additionally, the Constitution evolved to include the norm that the government could not levy taxes without consulting a representative body, further safeguarding property owners' interests.
Economic Freedom and Monopoly Restrictions
Several state constitutions included bans on grants of monopoly, signaling a commitment to economic freedom. This environment encouraged competition and innovation, creating an atmosphere conducive to industrialization.
Judicial Protection of Property Rights
The federal and state courts played a crucial role in defending property rights before the Great Depression and the New Deal era. Their efforts, guided by the founding generation's preference for private property rights and limited government, provided a degree of certainty and protection for individuals and businesses during the Industrial Revolution.
In summary, the Constitution's protection of property rights during the Industrial Revolution fostered a stable environment for economic growth, innovation, and urbanization in the United States. These constitutional safeguards contributed to the significant social and economic transformations that occurred during this period.
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Railroad development
The Constitution's protection of property rights facilitated industrialization and urbanization in the United States. This led to a reversal of the historical reliance on labor-intensive agriculture, which meant that less than 2% of the population was now able to feed the remaining 98%. The social effects of these changes were significant, particularly the rapid rural-urban migration and the growing economic disparity between cities and within cities.
The development of railroads had far-reaching impacts on the settlement of the West, stimulating economic growth, fostering the development of towns and communities, and connecting the country together. The importance of railroads was highlighted during the great railroad strike of 1894, when their shutdown disrupted transportation and commerce across the nation. By 1900, the vast majority of the nation's railroad system was in place, with four transcontinental railroads linking the eastern states to the Pacific Coast.
The railroads also had a significant impact on land ownership and financing. They received millions of acres of public lands from Congress, providing them with the land needed to lay tracks and generate revenue through land sales. The proceeds from these land sales helped finance the construction of additional railroads. However, not all railroads relied solely on government assistance, as some smaller railroads had to purchase land from private owners, facing objections and refusals from some landowners.
The Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 attempted to regulate railroad rates and promote competition, but it had little impact during the nineteenth century as federal courts prevented it from setting rates. Overall, the development of railroads played a pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution, facilitating transportation, connecting communities, and driving economic growth and land development in the United States.
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Technological innovation
Mechanization and Manufacturing:
The Industrial Revolution marked a shift from manual labour and handicrafts to mechanized manufacturing. The introduction of machines and new power sources revolutionized production processes. Innovations such as the steam engine, electric generators, and internal combustion engines powered factories and transportation, increasing efficiency and productivity.
Transportation Revolution:
The development of new modes of transportation transformed connectivity and mobility. Steamships, railroads, and later automobiles and airplanes, revolutionized travel and trade. Railroads, in particular, played a significant role in the Industrial Revolution, facilitated by government support and land grants for their construction.
Communication Breakthroughs:
The creation of the telegraph by Samuel Morse enabled long-distance communication through electric signals. This invention, along with the later development of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell, revolutionized how people connected and conducted business across vast distances.
Electric Lighting:
The transition from candles to kerosene lamps, and eventually to electric light bulbs, illuminated homes and workplaces, extending working hours and improving productivity.
Agriculture Mechanization:
While the Industrial Revolution is often associated with urban industrialization, it also brought about the mechanization of agriculture. Innovations in farming equipment, such as Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin, improved agricultural productivity and contributed to the overall economic growth.
Assembly Line and Mass Production:
The introduction of the assembly line revolutionized manufacturing processes, leading to mass production. This transformation increased efficiency, lowered prices, and contributed to the widespread availability of goods.
The technological innovations during the Industrial Revolution had far-reaching consequences, reshaping economies, societies, and the daily lives of people. They facilitated industrialization, improved productivity, and connected distant parts of the world in unprecedented ways.
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Urbanisation
Urbanization during the Industrial Revolution was characterized by the growth of cities and the transformation of rural areas into industrial centers. This process began in Britain in the 18th century and later spread to other parts of the world, including the United States during the 19th century. The Industrial Revolution had a profound impact on urbanization, and the two phenomena reinforced each other.
The emergence of factories and the factory system was a key driver of urbanization. As manufacturing shifted from small-scale domestic production to large-scale factory production, workers migrated from rural areas to cities in search of employment. This rural-to-urban migration led to a rapid increase in the population of cities. For example, in England and Wales, the proportion of the population living in cities increased from 17% in 1801 to 72% in 1891. Cities like Manchester, which became known as "Cottonopolis," experienced exponential population growth, with Manchester's population increasing by six times between 1771 and 1831.
The development of a nationwide transportation system, particularly the expansion of railroads, also played a significant role in urbanization. Improvements in transportation reduced transaction and food costs, improved distribution, and made a variety of foods more accessible in cities. Additionally, advancements in construction, such as new methods for building taller buildings, allowed cities to expand vertically as well as horizontally into the surrounding countryside.
The concentration of people in small urban areas accelerated economic activity and industrial growth. Cities became hubs for industrial activity and centers for raising capital, fostering both large-scale and small-scale enterprises. The growth of cities also led to changes in social structures and living conditions. The emergence of a middle class during the Industrial Revolution altered the traditional family structure, with marriage becoming a more sociable union between spouses in the laboring class. However, the rapid urbanization also gave rise to challenges, including overcrowded living conditions, exposure to contagious diseases, and limited opportunities for child-rearing, particularly for women working in factories.
The United States experienced rapid industrialization and urbanization between 1880 and 1929, with the Northeast and Midwest regions being particularly affected. During this period, the federal government played a role in promoting industrialization and urbanization through policies such as land grants, loans, and the establishment of protective tariffs. The Homestead Act of 1862, which encouraged homeownership, and the Morrill Land-Grant College Act, which provided land for establishing colleges, also contributed to the urbanization process.
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Frequently asked questions
The Industrial Revolution was a period of major industrialization and innovation that began in Great Britain in the mid-18th century and later spread throughout much of the world. It transformed economies that had been based on agriculture and handicrafts into economies based on large-scale industry, mechanized manufacturing, and the factory system.
The Constitution, which came into effect in 1789, granted the federal government the power to levy taxes and tariffs. This allowed the government to support domestic industries and protect them from foreign competition. The protective Morrill tariff, for example, was a tax on imported goods that gave American products an advantage.
The Industrial Revolution had a profound effect on labor in the US. It led to the development of wage labor and the rise of factories, which paid better wages than agricultural work. It also resulted in migration from rural areas to urban areas in search of better job opportunities. Additionally, the Industrial Revolution created an increase in employment opportunities and overall wages.
Important inventions of the Industrial Revolution included the steam engine, used to power locomotives, steamboats, and ships; electric generators and electric motors; the incandescent lamp (light bulb); the telegraph and telephone; and the internal combustion engine and automobile.
