Chapter 14

Eli Whitney

American inventor best known for inventing the cotton gin and interchangeable parts. Significance- The Cotton 'Gin enabled cotton to be cleaned of seeds much faster than by hand. It also increased the need and demand for slavery as a major labor force in the South. Interchangeable parts enabled the modernization of weapons and other machine parts.

Molly maguires

An active, militant Irish organization of farmers based in the Pennsylvania fields who are believed responsible for much violence. Significance- secret Irish Americans. To prevent evictions by the government.

Cult domesticity

Belief in Middle and Upper Classes in US and Britain women embodied perfect virtues in all senses. Significance- established the virtues of women staying in the home and being good moms, wives, and homemakers.

Clermont

Clermont Fulton's steamboat in 1807 which powered on by a newly designed engine. Significance- it moved goods up and down the Mississippi river faster the the flatboats could.

Cotton gin

Eli Whitney invented this in 1793. Significance- It made the process of separating seeds from the cotton faster. Because it made slavery more profitable, they could extract the seed faster than a man could by hand.

Sewing machine

Elias Howe promoted manufacturing in the 1850s by successfully developing a commercial version of this machine. Significance- . The sewing machine made making fabric easier and faster than having it hand made.

Pony express

Established in 1860 to carry mail speedily the 2thousand lonely miles Significance- The Pony Express proved to the eastern establishment that the Central Route could be used by the railroads to bind our country together.

Samuel Slater

Father of the factory system. First american machinery for spinning cotton thread. Significance- He is known as the father of the American Industrial Revolution. Slater helped to build the first successful water powered textile mill in America.

Samuel Morse

Invented the telegraph. Significance- It made it possible to communicate quickly over vast distances

Cyrus McCormick

Irish American inventor that developed the mechanical reaper. Significance- The reaper was a preferred way of cutting crops for harvest, and it was much more quicker. The invention helped the agricultural growth of America.

Industrial revolution

The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in the period from about 1760 to 1820 Significance- Urbanization Increase in world trade The begining of global warming New methods of worker exploitation, Ability of small nations to dominate the world.

Transportation revolution

The beginning of better transportation ways in America including the steamboat, train, and better roads and canals. Significance- This allowed Americans to travel across the country and transport goods into new markets that weren't previously available.

Clipper ships

built during the 1840's in boston, that were sleek and fast but inefficient in carrying a lot of cargo or passengers. Significance- most advanced sailing ships of the day giving the USA an advantage in speed of transport and range of ships.

Robert Fulton

inventor who designed the first commercially successful steamboat and the first steam warship. Significance- Robert Fulton's steamboat improved water navigation around the world. It also brought another way of transporting goods in America.

Tammany Hall

powerful New York political organization. It drew support from immigrants. The immigrants relied on Tammany Hall. Significance- Played a major part in controlling NYC politics as well as helping immigrants rise up in politics and also controlled nominations.

Nativism

the policy of protecting the interests of native-born or established inhabitants against those of immigrants Significance- Benjamin Franklin's hostility towards settling Germans in Pennsylvania.