Transportation Industry In The 19th Century

After the civil war, Americans ran on money and new devices of business. With the expansion of businesses and the nations rail system this lead to bigger markets and industries. Railroads were the biggest industry in the late 19th century because this allowed trade with other markets and cities. The railroad was privately owned but publicly financed by land grants from the government. Along with the expansion of the rail road, there was an invention of the telegraph. The telegraph was invented by Samuel F. Morse which allowed people to communicate with Morse code. Continuing, steel soon grew rapidly after the building of the railroad. Also with the railroad industry, costs were high but with Andrew Carnegie developing the vertical integration which helped. This allowed the costs of goods to be lower so business could buy more. Carnegie was also the best known manufacturer which led to building skyscrapers, bridges, and trains. During the second half of the 19th century, there was another invention that helped businesses’ expand. This invention was the telephone and electricity. The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham …show more content…
They also fought for higher wages, shorter hours and greater worker control in the face of increased mechanization. Then the Homestead Lookout occurred. Henry Clay Frick locked workers out of the mills and prepared to bring in strike breakers. The workers sounded the alarm and they were armed with rifles, hoes and fence posts. When they escaped they started killing people and killed at least thirty strikers. This action of the Homestead lookout, workers struck at the heart of the capitalist system, pitting the workers’ rights of private property. All of the workers soon were taught a