Both the federal and state governments supported American industry. The United States made large amounts of land grants to railroad companies to promote the expansion of rail transportation. About 10 % of the land in the United States was given to private businesses by federal and state governments in the late 1800s. The most important protection which the government gave to American industry was protective tariffs. The tariff became a major political issue in the United States. Tariffs have been employed by our government to both improve revenue and to protect native industry.
About 1.5 million Americans worked in factories. Still the United States continued to be primarily an agricultural nation. 70% of all Americans were farmers. In 1860 there were more than 140,000 factories in the United States. The great majority of industrial workers in 1860 were women and children. For this reason they had little impact on the political sense. This changed in 1877 when a nationwide strike of railroad workers took place. By 1900 5.5 million Americans were involved in industry. In 1980 only about 20 percent of the population even lived in a rural areas. …show more content…
By 1860 the United States patent office had granted 4,000 patents. By 1914 the number had grown to 41,000. Increasing innovations and principles of science and were exploited to produce either industrial goods or consumer goods. Examples of technical innovations which were born in end 19th century include the internal combustion engine, the telephone, the phonograph, electricity, refrigeration, the motorized reaper and tractor, the repeating and bolt action, the machine gun, industrial cigarette rolling machines, the Bessemer steel converter, the typewriter,
About 1.5 million Americans worked in factories. Still the United States continued to be primarily an agricultural nation. 70% of all Americans were farmers. In 1860 there were more than 140,000 factories in the United States. The great majority of industrial workers in 1860 were women and children. For this reason they had little impact on the political sense. This changed in 1877 when a nationwide strike of railroad workers took place. By 1900 5.5 million Americans were involved in industry. In 1980 only about 20 percent of the population even lived in a rural areas. …show more content…
By 1860 the United States patent office had granted 4,000 patents. By 1914 the number had grown to 41,000. Increasing innovations and principles of science and were exploited to produce either industrial goods or consumer goods. Examples of technical innovations which were born in end 19th century include the internal combustion engine, the telephone, the phonograph, electricity, refrigeration, the motorized reaper and tractor, the repeating and bolt action, the machine gun, industrial cigarette rolling machines, the Bessemer steel converter, the typewriter,