A Large Workforce

                Human resources available to American industry were as important as natural resources. With this it helps make America capable of industrializing rapidly. Between 1860 and 1910 the population of the United States tripled in size. Population growth provided industry with an abundant work force, an also created demand for consumer goods.

Between 1870 and 1910, more than 17 million immigrants arrived in the United States. American Industry began to grow at a time when social and economic conditions in Europe and China convinced many people to immigrate to America. Many seek to find a better life; others seek to escape oppressive governments and religious persecution. Multitudes of people joined the workforce, while others helped increase factories and companies.  

Cornelius Vanderbil

         Cornelius Vanderbilt was an American industrialist and philanthropist who built his wealth in shipping and railroads. He was one of the most successful rail road workers of all time. By 1869, he had purchased and merged three short running railroads to form the New York Central. He had his own rail road service between New York and Chicago around 1871.

Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He created many devices that influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and the electric light bulb. He was curious about the world at a young age, he learned a lot about mechanics in his laboratory. Edison set up his lab with the money he received from improving the telegraph. He was the first to make a commercial light bulb. With this invention we have electricity running through our homes to help us see. It also helps in advancing modern technology.

Alexander Graham Bell

Alexander Graham Bell grew up in Scotland; He was a scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first telephone. He ended up immigrating to the United States. He came to the United States in 1874. He had an assistant named Thomas Watson who helped him with the creation of the telephone.  He created the telephone, which will revolutionize the way we communicate forever. Without this invention we would not have cell phones, and we probably would not have key boards either.

Bell and Telephone

            In 1874 a Scottish immigrant named Alexander Graham Bell suggested the idea of the telephone to his assistant, Thomas Watson. Watson believed that creating the telephone could actually work, and realized they could make profit on this invention. The invention of the telephone revolutionized the way we communicate now.

Without this one person’s one idea would we have the same technology we have today? Without Alexander Graham Bell we would not have been able to communicate with others like we do now. It only took one person’s idea to revolutionize the way we communicate, and talk to one another, without him we would still be sending letters through the mail.

Natural Resources

            A huge amount of raw materials was one of the reasons for the nation’s industrial success. The U.S. had vast natural resources such as iron, copper, coal, and timber. American companies could obtain these natural resources cheaply because they did not have to get it imported. In 1859 Edwin Drake drilled the first oil well in Pennsylvania. By 1900 oil fields were growing and oil production rose.

People began using a new natural resource called petroleum. Before the automotive age petroleum was still in high demand because it turned into kerosene. The American oil industry was just beginning when residents of Pennsylvania noticed oil bubbling to the surface of streams. This led to Edwin Drake drilling the first oil well.

 

Rutherford Hayes

             

Rutherford Hayes was born on October 4, 1822 in Delaware. He died in January 17, 1893. He was the 19^th president of the United States. Hayes oversaw the end of the reconstruction. Hayes out effort that led to civil service reform and attempted to reconcile the divisions left over from the Civil War and Reconstruction. In 1858-1861, Hayes left a successful political career to join the Union Army as an officer. He was wounded five times, at the Battle of South Mountain. He was known for his bravery in combat. He was promoted to the rank major general. From 1865-1867 as a Republican, Hayes left Congress to run for Governor of Ohio. In 1868-1872, Hayes was elected to two terms.

                In 1876, Hayes was elected for president in one of the most difficult elections. After the hard and difficult election, Hayes won the election. But after the election, Hayes ended all federal army intervention in Southern politics. That caused the collapse of Republican state of governments and led to a Solid South that is a solidly Democratic South.