Search for Free 150,000+ Essays

Find more results for this search now!
CLICK the BUTTON to the RIGHT!

Need a Brand New Custom Essay Now?  click here

The American Economy of the Early 1800s

Uploaded by spootyhead on Apr 18, 2007

The American Economy of the Early 1800s

The economy of 1810-1860 was on the rise to one of the worlds best of the time and they pushed through with new inventions, westward expansion, immigration, slavery, highways and steamboats, and railroads. This time period was just after the industrial revolution and America is starting to become a true nation some thirty years after they gained their independence.

One of the most influential inventions of the time was in 1837 by John Deere of Illinois, with the steel plow. This replaced the old fragile wood plows, and was used to break up the terrible virgin soil. Then in the 1830s the Virginia born Cyrus McCormick invented the mechanical mower-reaper, which did the work of five men in the 1/5 the time. This new invention made farmers eager to get more land to plant wheat and other crops. With this new technology of the time farming gave way to the large scale production of the markets, which produced a lot of money. During this time the production of cotton soared on the brink of the cotton gin, by Eli Whitney in 1791. By 1860 there was more than 400 million pounds of southern cotton annually. America also had been forced to develop factories because of the Embargo act of 1807 and the Non-Intercourse act of 1809.

Western land of the time was the most fought for land because the issue of slavery and fresh land for agriculture. Most of the people who moved west were in search of gold or a new life, and the average age of citizens there was thirty. Pioneers were moving on to the new land after they exhausted the land with their tobacco crops. With western expansion the population was doubling on average of every twenty-five years. By 1860 the original thirteen colonies, had reached to the number of thirty-three. One of the main reasons for the explosion of the population was because of immigration. The other reason for expansion was because both the North and the South were looking for an advantage of states for the slavery issue. Also to most of the people who moved were looking for quick money with the Gold Rush and to start anew for some of those who had gone wrong in the east.

Immigration of this time was one of the main reasons for such an...

Sign In Now to Read Entire Essay

Not a Member?   Create Your FREE Account »

Comments / Reviews

read full essay >>

Already a Member?   Login Now >

This essay and THOUSANDS of
other essays are FREE at eCheat.

Uploaded by:   spootyhead

Date:   04/18/2007

Category:   Economics

Length:   5 pages (1,029 words)

Views:   17230

Report this Essay Save Essay
Professionally written essays on this topic:

The American Economy of the Early 1800s

View more professionally written essays on this topic »