The United States of America is currently an economic giant. US economic growth has been sustained for a long time. The period between 1790 and 1860 marked an era of economic growth characterized by an increase in trade, wealth creation, business expansion and the introduction of new technological advancements. Various factors contributed to this economic growth. Changes in communication, agricultural production and transportation are some of the major contributors to the United States’ economic growth between 1790 and 1860.
Changes in communication contributed to the economic growth in the United States between 1790 and 1860. The changes occurred in two forms. The first one was the introduction of new methods of communication such as electric telegraphs and the penny press. In 1836, Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail invented the electric telegraph which transmitted messages using a wire. This new innovation made communication easy since it was possible to transfer information in less time compared to other forms of communication. Electric telegraph became a useful communication tool, especially for government agencies at the time.
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The technological improvement from handcrafted printing to steam-powered printing led to the introduction of penny papers that were cheap and affordable for many people. Previously, information was disseminated using newspapers. However, they were restricted to the elite especially businessmen who could afford them. Furthermore, most newspapers were controlled by politicians and political parties who used them to spread their agendas. The introduction of penny papers changed the journalism sector as it became more independent and targeted more people such as the working and middle class. The changes in communication led to the development in business, politics, and economics since people could communicate easily and efficiently.
The changes in the transport sector were marked by improvements in infrastructure. Previously, road construction was done by private organizations. During the period of economic growth, the government learnt that infrastructure was essential to boost the country’s economic growth. It responded by investing significant amounts of resources to fund the construction sector. The improvement of the transportation sector became a joint effort by the federal government, state government and private organizations. These efforts saw the construction of roads, canals and railroads. For instance, the federal government funded the construction of the Cumberland Road and Erie Canal (Barker & Gerhold, 1995). The improvement of the transportation sector made it easy to transport raw materials and manufactured goods hence fostering the growth of business and the creation of wealth. People could also travel with ease and even explore new lands.
Changes in the agricultural production included incorporation of new farming techniques and exploration of new farming lands. For instance, Eli Whitney invented the cotton grin that made the processing of cotton faster, easier and cheaper hence reducing the time needed to process cotton. John Deere, on the other hand, invented the horse-pulled steel ploughs to replace the oxen driven ones. These innovations made agriculture efficient and boosted the production of farm products (Meyer, 1983). Additionally, farmers were able to cultivate new and productive lands that had been acquired from American Indians after the signing of the Indian Removal Act in 1830 (Second session of the 21st Congress of the United States Government, 1830). The cultivation of new lands meant more farm produce and also profits for the farmers.
In conclusion, the economic growth between 1790 and 1860 was as a result of different factors. The main contributors of this economic success were improvements in the agricultural production, transport sector and communication. Each of these factors was dependent on the other and collectively led to economic growth in the United States.
References
Barker, T. & Gerhold, D. (1995). The rise and rise of road transport . New York: Cambridge University Press.
Meyer, D. (1983). Emergence of the American manufacturing belt: An interpretation. Journal of Historical Geography , 9, 145-174.
Second session of the 21st Congress of the United States Government. (1830). Indian Removal Act Document . Retrieved 3 November 2018, from http://www.legendsofamerica.com/na-indianremovalact.html
