The American Journey © 2012

Chapter 10: Growth and Expansion

Chapter Overviews

Section 1: Economics Growth

The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain. It later took root in New England, where farming was difficult and rivers provided waterpower. New machines, such as Eli Whitney’s cotton gin, changed the way things were made. The patent law and the factory system both contributed to success of America’s capitalist economy. Although many Americans were working in factories, farming remained the country’s leading occupation in the 1800s. Agriculture expanded in the South and West, especially.

Growth of factories and trade led to the expansion of towns and cities, particularly along rivers. With the ability to sell stock, corporations also developed rapidly in the 1830s.

Section 2: Westward Bound

As more settlers poured into lands west of the Appalachians during the early 1800s, the need for better transportation grew. Construction of the National Road began, and the steamboat ushered in a new age of river travel that made shipping goods cheaper and faster. Unfortunately, most rivers in the United States flowed from north to south, so steamboats did not tie the eastern and western parts of the country together.

Business and government officials developed a plan to build a canal that would link New York City to the Great Lakes region. The difficult and dangerous work of building the Erie Canal was done largely by Irish immigrants. In the 1840s, steamboats replaced mules and horses to pull barges through the growing number of canals.

A second wave of western growth began between 1816 and 1821, and led to the creation of new states. Pioneer families settled along rivers such as the Ohio and the Mississippi so they could ship their goods to market.

Section 3: Unity and Sectionalism

With no major political divisions after the War of 1812, a spirit of nationalism spread throughout the United States. This nationalism was symbolized by the warm relationship between citizens and President James Monroe. Regional differences, however, brought an end to what was called the Era of Good Feelings. Sectionalism grew more intense over the issues of slavery and tariffs.

Three strong leaders emerged in Congress, representing the three different regions: Southerner John C. Calhoun supported state sovereignty, Daniel Webster came from the North and favored the Tariff of 1816, and Henry Clay spoke for the interests of the Western states. Clay was known for solving national disputes and helped pass the Missouri Compromise that preserved the balance between slave states and non-slave states. When the Supreme Court became involved in sectional and states’ rights issues, its decisions strengthened the power of national government.