Social Change During 1820-1860

Amr Sadek November 4, 2012 U. S. History In what ways did developments in transportation bring about economic and social change in the United States in the period 1820-1860? Development in transportation helped each area of the United States. Those areas were the South, North and the new west. Transportation helped each area develop economically and socially. Transportation helped by making the South making money by sending cotton to the north so they can manufacture clothes. This helped the south a lot, because they refused to manufacture and industrialize like the north.

The only disadvantage about the south making more money by sending cotton to the north and west was that they became more reliant on their slaves. The development of business in the south grew and demands started increasing, so slaves had to work faster and harder. Slave owners created stricter slave policies and this is one of the ways that transportation socially harmed the south. From the 3 areas the north had the most success because they manufactured goods that was sent to the west and south. The north consisted of cities and factories, which made it the economic power of the United States.

Transportation helped the west by helping people move it a safer and more suitable way. If railroads weren’t created during that time then the west wouldn’t have been what it is today. The roads helped people move into the west, which meant that people had to stop during their journeys. This went on to create hotels for the people who were moving west. The major cause of people moving to the west was because there was gold in California and people were looking for wealth and a better life. The gold rush was the major factor of people moving to the western part of the United States.

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Overall, the economy of the U. S. improved economically because of the railroads and canals allowed people to trade and communicate faster. The north played the role of manufacturing goods for the south and west. The west was supplying most of the United States with food and it was most of that area consisted of farmers and foreigners. The south was the one who gave the North the cotton in order for them to create their manufactured goods. So the economy had a cycle that depended on all 3 areas to cooperate. Socially, the U. S. ad a dramatic change because all 3 areas changed and this was a time before the Civil war. The south had become more dependent on slaves and the North was employing more people in their factories. Tenstions began to grow between the North and South as people staretd moving around a lot. Northern people would explore the South and started knowing how the South treated their slaves and major conflicts started happening between the two. The west was becoming more diverse and was starting to help the U. S. expand and help split the population evenly.

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