Industrial Revolution

The American Industrial Revolution

By Lauryn Thompson 

October 22nd 2014

The Erie Canal was a man-made waterway. It helped transportation for products and people. This was significant because Americans could now use waterways instead of natural rivers. 

During them Industrial Revolution, free enterprise and

Adam Smith, a social philosopher and political economist,
published "The Wealth of Nations in 1776 where he posted
an economic system based on free enterprise.
Source

entrepreneurs made a huge impact by increasing the growth of economy for our country. The free enterprise operated the profits with the government regulations. Entrepreneurs invested their money in gaining more profit in new industry machines. Free enterprise and entrepreneurs  both shaped the economy of the United States by providing jobs for people in need. 

The single-most important resource to the U.S was natural resources. It helped the U.S. become a world-wide industrial power. Some examples of natural resources that the U.S. had were cotton, rice, tabacco and fossil fuel.



 

This is a picture of an oil pump. Oil helped
with transportation during the Industrial Revolution.   
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Black gold was significant because the automobile became popular so the demand for oil increased. It allowed for better transportation for products and people. 

Steel was manufactured by removing carbon from the iron which produced a lighter and more flexible metal. They would do this by blasting air into the iron which removed the carbon. Steel helped the U.S. become an economic power because it was used in almost every structure in that era. Steel became 90% of the U.S.'s production. 

In 1871, 26,000 tons of steel was produced. In 1884,
there was 118,000 tons produced.
Source

Buildings were changed and improved during the Industrial Revolution because people started to use steel frames in their buildings. People began to use different methods to manufacture steel.