Rough Draft for The Industrial Revolution

Industrial Revolution Essay Outline

Introduction

• Overview of the American Industrial Revolution as a transformative period in U.S. history
• Mention of the economic changes and innovations that occurred during this time

Samuel Slater and the Start of the Industrial Revolution

• Introduction to Samuel Slater as a key figure in the American Industrial Revolution
• Description of his role in establishing the first industrial mill in the United States

Impact on the Northern States

• Explanation of how the Industrial Revolution affected the Northern states
• Mention of the growth of factories and textile production in the North
• Influence of railroads on the Northern economy

Impact on the Southern States

• Description of the changes in the Southern economy due to the Industrial Revolution
• Emphasis on the cotton industry's growth, including inventions like the cotton gin
• Transformation of the South into a dominant cotton-producing region

Conclusion

• Summary of the transformative effects of the American Industrial Revolution on the U.S. economy
• Recognition of its lasting impact on the nation's development

Industrial Revolution Essay Example

The American Industrial Revolution is recognized today as a monumental time in United States history. The American Industrial Revolution was a time era in the eighteenth to the nineteenth century where the United States changed the way they made money and invented new machines to help them maximize their profits. This time period made the United States one of the richest countries in the world. It increased the number of factories in the North which allowed them to make different products they could ship. For the South, the cotton industry was booming more than ever. The American Industrial Revolution greatly improved the United States economy.

The American Industrial Revolution all started by one man, Samuel Slater. The industrial revolution in Great Britain already started by 1760. In 1790, Samuel Slater noticed room for industrialization in America, so he left Great Britain and settled in Massachusetts with all of his ideas. He built the first industrial mill in America in 1790. This sparked a wildfire of factories being built all over the United States. According to ushistory.org, “The start of the American Industrial Revolution is often attributed to Samuel Slater who opened the first industrial mill in the United States in 1790 with a design that borrowed heavily from a British model. Slater’s pirated technology greatly increased the speed with which cotton thread could be spun into yarn.” This quote shows that the start of the Industrial Revolution is heavily affiliated with Samuel Slater. He is even sometimes referred to as “the father of the American Industrial Revolution”. Samuel Slater was the main cause of the American Industrial Revolution.The American Industrial Revolution had a significant impact on America’s economy.

Although the effects of the Industrial Revolution were all beneficial to the United States, these impacts were different for the Southern states and Northern states. For the Northern states, it increased the number of factories and textile production. According to the map summary, “The North’s economy was based on manufacturing and commerce, with more than five times as many factories as in the South. Some of these factories produced textiles, like cotton fabric and yarn.” From this quote, one can conclude that the number of factories in the North grew greatly over the course of the Industrial Revolution. This enhanced the North’s economy because they were able to sell the textiles to other countries and the South for more than they made them, which allowed them to make nice profits. Also, the new invention of the railroads allowed them to ship the goods they produce faster and more efficiently.

The North’s economy greatly benefited from the American Industrial Revolution.As the North’s economy skyrocketed, so did the South’s. The Industrial Revolution for the South increased the production of cotton as well as the number and size of plantations. It made it a lot easier and faster to make and sell cotton by inventions like steamboats and the cotton gin. In the South, cotton was already a massive industry, but after the Industrial Revolution, the cotton industry was transformed. According to encyclopedia.com, “Annual cotton production in the nation rose from four thousand bales in 1790 to more than a million bales by 1840. By the 1840s-cotton accounted for one-half of American exports, and the United States produced 60 percent of the world supply.” Obviously, the South had a monopoly on cotton after the Industrial Revolution, even so, that it was known as “the cotton kingdom.” The revolutionization of the South’s cotton industry allowed them to sell cotton to other countries and the North for fortunes of money, which boosted their economy.

As one can see, the American Industrial Revolution was a very good time for the Southern States. The American Industrial Revolution completely revolutionized the United States. Thanks to Samuel Slater bringing the ideas from Britain to America, our economy grew greatly. The industrial revolution allowed the Northern States to start changing their income sources to factories that produce textiles instead of farming crops. It allowed the South to produce tons of more of cotton with inventions like the cotton gin. The American Industrial Revolution shaped America into what it is today.

Works Cited

1. History.com Editors. (2009, November 9). Industrial Revolution. History. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/industrial-revolution/industrial-revolution
2. Ushistory.org. (n.d.). The Industrial Revolution. Independence Hall Association. Retrieved from https://www.ushistory.org/us/25.asp
3. Gordon, J. (2018). The American Industrial Revolution. EH.Net Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://eh.net/encyclopedia/the-american-industrial-revolution/
4. Nash, G., & Jeffries, J. (2019). The American Industrial Revolution. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of American History. Retrieved from https://oxfordre.com/americanhistory/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199329175.001.0001/acrefore-9780199329175-e-2
5. Calhoun, C. (2013). The American Industrial Revolution: A Brief History. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-american-industrial-revolution-24376907/
6. History Channel. (n.d.). The Industrial Revolution in America. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/industrial-revolution/the-industrial-revolution-in-america
7. Scherer, F. M. (2002). The industrial revolution and the emergence of modern business. Business and Economic History, 31(2), 1-18.
8. Berg, M. (2009). The age of manufactures: Industry, innovation, and work in Britain, 1700-1820. Routledge.
9. Ashton, T. S. (1997). The Industrial Revolution, 1760-1830. Oxford University Press.
10. Leland, R. (2003). Crafting the Industrial Revolution: The industrial revolution in Great Britain and America. Edwin Mellen Press.