This assignment explores the drivers of market revolution in the first half of the 19th century. The period of the Market Revolution was marked between 1793 and 1909 in the US. The major changes were related to labor. Improvements in the production of goods through changes in forms of labor were the first notable drivers of the Market Revolution. These changes rendered the traditional model of commerce archaic as new forms of communication and transportation emerged. The notable changes reinvented the idea of commercialism.
The growth of industries also facilitated the Market Revolution. The Industrial Revolution created stronger economies in North America. They wanted to promote free labor markets and spread their influences to other cities. On this note, the government of the time focused on the development of infrastructure to promote mobility of people and goods. Consequently, there were notable construction of roads, waterways, wide canal systems to support navigation of large ships and later the construction of long railroads throughout the nation (Carnes and Garraty 3-25).
After the 1812 War, the nation changed its economic model. The American economy, for instance, was transformed from import dependent to a more internal-based driven by commerce and manufacturing. That is, the US focused on domestic production rather than relying on imports from Europe (Sellers 74).
The leadership changed during the Market Revolution era. James Monroe became the President in 1817 and focused on promoting the Republicans’ policies of economic growth. The change in administration brought about a new generation of leaders with clear vision on government involvements in developments and creation of large-scale local production systems. The new leadership promoted the Market Revolution.
Notwithstanding these developments, the Market Revolution experienced some challenges. For instance, cheap labor from slaves faced resistance, the relations with native Indians resulted in conflicts, squalor in some urban areas and activities of speculators challenged the revolution. There was massive acquisition of land and notable population growth. The demand for statehood by some of the regions projected the tough question about slavery. During this period, a financial crisis also took place in the nation. As a result, some forms of regional specialization emerged by 1820s. For instance, in the south, there were large-scale plantations. On the other hand, the northern and western regions thrived on commerce and business. They become interdependent, which facilitated the Market Revolution.
Changes in agriculture affected the Market Revolution. However, these changes could be traced back to innovations in the industries. The ability to produce interchangeable parts of machines led to widespread changes in the production systems and soon there were many items with interchangeable parts to replace worn out ones. These new products transformed agriculture in the West. The invention of the steel plow transformed how plowing progressed after several centuries. Moreover, it was efficient and cheaper.
Further inventions also led to development in the Market Revolution. For instance, machines such as mechanical mower led to increased efficiency in agriculture. Previously, wheat farming was cumbersome without efficient mowing machines and therefore farmers relied on corn, which was not profitable. Farmers focused on acquisition of large tracks of land to grow cash crops, which raked in more profits. In fact, wheat became a major cash crop in the US. Farmers produced more wheat than they could use and therefore they started to sell surplus to other regions.
Wealth grew steadily leading mass migration to the US (Larson 102). Capitalism emerged. This was the beginning of the American Dream. Immigrants sought for wealth in the US as they focused on employment in specialized areas. They supplied the needed cheaper labor for mass production (Larson 26). Immigrants opted for better lives provided both labor and markets for manufactured products.
As markets became stable and agricultural sectors became dominant and profitable, the need for more laborers and slaves grew steadily. Cotton farmers specifically wanted more slaves for production. At this period, European countries and the North abolished slave, affecting cotton production in the South (Larson 89). While the slave trade was abolished, the use of slaves for cotton production did not end (Larson 89).
The textile industry required more raw materials, which put pressure on the South to increase its production capacity. These changes altered the role of children and women in the production process. They had to provide labor. As a result, slavery continued to shape the Market Revolution by providing labor in the South for production of raw materials, which supported the growth of the textile industry in the North.
The Market Revolution established America in the world as an economic and commerce hub. It was responsible for the wealth and political power of the US (Hofstadter 265).
In conclusion, the Market Revolution was driven by several factors. These included the Industrial Revolution, changes in agricultural models, innovation, changed in leadership, availability of land, slaves and immigrants for cheap labor, the growing markets and profitability and changes in family structure. These changes reflected cause-and-effect relationships.
Works Cited
Carnes, Mark C and John A. Garraty. American Destiny: Narrative of a Nation. 4th ed. New York: Pearson, 2011. Print.
Hofstadter, Richard. The American Political Tradition: And the Men Who Made it. New York: Vintage, 1989. Print.
Larson, John Lauritz. The Market Revolution in America: Liberty, Ambition, and the Eclipse of the Common Good. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009. Print.
Sellers, Charles. Market Revolution: Jacksonian America, 1815-1846. Cambridge: Oxford University Press, 1992. Print.