Market Revolution

1. The Market
Revolution
EQ: How did the market revolution change
the everyday lives of Americans?

2. Class Brainstorm
• Out of all of the things that you own, which is your
favorite and why?
• Examples:
• Phone
• Clothes
• Video games
• Makeup
• Computer
• Car
• Television set

3. Market Revolution
• Definition: Period of vast economic change where
people increasingly bought and sold goods rather than
make them for themselves
• 1840 – 1850: Economy grew more in these 10 years than
it had in the previous 40
• US Markets expand
• Free enterprise: freedom of private businesses to
operate competitively for profit with little
government regulation

4. Inventions and Improvements
• Inventions…
• 1. Made life more comfortable for people
• 2. Fueled the economic revolution
• The areas mostly affected included:
• Communication
• Manufacturing
• Transportation

5. Communication
• Telegraph: sent messages in code over a wire in a matter
of seconds
• Invented by Samuel Morse
• Used to relay messages very quickly
• Businesses could transmit orders and relay up to date
information about prices and sales
• Railroads could keep trains moving regularly and warn
of hazards

6. Transportation
• Better transportation improved the movement of people
and goods
• Steamboats
• Decreased freight rates and voyage times
• Important in moving raw materials
• Canals
• Man made waterways that connect natural waterways
• Increased water travel efficiency
• Railroads
• Offered the advantages of speed and winter travel

7. Workplaces Change
• Work that had been done at home or in small shops
before now moved to factories
• New machines allowed unskilled workers to make
products that were previously only possible through the
work of skilled workers

8. Lowell Textile Mills
• These cloth factories employed thousands of workers
• Employees were mostly women
• Owners could pay lower wages
• At first, the textile mills were favorable to work in
• Offered better pay than most other jobs
• Generally positive environment
• Eventually working conditions deteriorated
• 12+ hour work days
• Mills were dark, hot and cramped
“I regard my workpeople just as I regard my machinery.
So long as they can do my work for what I choose to pay
them, I keep them, getting out of them all I can.”

9. Seeking Better Work Conditions
• Workers would eventually go on strike
• Strike: a work stoppage to force an employer to respond to
demands
• Dozens of strikes occurred during this time; most failed
• Employers could easily replace unskilled workers with
immigrants looking for work
• Immigration dramatically rose between 1830-1860