Glossary
Consumer Culture
A societal emphasis on the acquisition of goods and services, fueled by mass production, increased availability of products, and new advertising methods, leading to a focus on purchasing for personal satisfaction and status.
Example:
The availability of mass-produced textiles and household goods meant that even ordinary families could participate in the emerging consumer culture, buying items that were once considered luxuries.
Cult of Domesticity
A prevailing 19th-century ideology that defined women's roles within the home, emphasizing their moral and spiritual guardianship of the family and the private sphere, while men were expected to operate in the public, economic sphere.
Example:
A popular magazine article from the era might advise women that their highest calling was to create a nurturing home environment, embodying the ideals of the Cult of Domesticity.
Expansion of Slavery
The significant growth of the institution of slavery in the American South, driven by the booming demand for cotton from northern textile mills and British factories, leading to increased internal slave trade and heightened sectional tensions.
Example:
The invention of the cotton gin and the rise of textile factories in the North directly fueled the expansion of slavery into new territories like Alabama and Mississippi.
Factories
Large-scale industrial establishments that emerged during the Market Revolution, utilizing machinery and a centralized workforce to mass-produce goods, fundamentally changing the nature of production from artisanal workshops.
Example:
The textile factories of New England, powered by water, became centers of production, drawing thousands of workers from rural areas.
Immigrants
People who migrated from other countries, primarily Europe (e.g., Ireland and Germany), to the United States during the Market Revolution, seeking economic opportunities but often facing discrimination and poor living conditions in burgeoning cities.
Example:
Large numbers of Irish immigrants arrived in the U.S. in the mid-19th century, often settling in crowded urban centers and taking low-wage jobs.
Lowell System
A factory model developed in Lowell, Massachusetts, that primarily employed young, single women from rural areas in textile mills, providing them with supervised boarding houses and cultural activities alongside strict work discipline.
Example:
Many young women left their family farms to work in the Lowell System, seeking economic independence before marriage, though they faced long hours and strict rules.
Market Economy
An economic system where the production and distribution of goods and services are guided by supply and demand, with buying and selling becoming the primary means of exchange rather than bartering or self-sufficiency.
Example:
Farmers who once grew crops primarily for their own family's consumption began to specialize in cash crops like wheat or cotton to sell for profit in the growing market economy.
Market Revolution
A profound economic transformation in the early 19th century U.S. that shifted the nation from a localized, agrarian economy to an interconnected national market system, driven by new technologies and industrialization.
Example:
The construction of the Erie Canal during the Market Revolution dramatically reduced shipping costs and travel times, connecting agricultural goods from the Midwest to East Coast markets.
Middle Class
A social group that expanded significantly during the Market Revolution, consisting of professionals, merchants, and skilled artisans who benefited from the growing economy and often embraced distinct cultural values like domesticity and self-improvement.
Example:
A successful shopkeeper or a lawyer in a growing city would likely be part of the burgeoning middle class, enjoying a comfortable lifestyle distinct from both the wealthy elite and the working poor.
Nativists
Americans who opposed immigration, believing that newcomers threatened American culture, values, and jobs, and who advocated for policies to restrict immigration and limit the rights of foreign-born residents.
Example:
Groups of nativists sometimes organized protests against Irish Catholic immigrants, fearing their influence on American politics and society.
New Cities
Urban centers that experienced rapid population and economic growth during the Market Revolution, serving as hubs for manufacturing, trade, and transportation, though often struggling with issues like overcrowding and sanitation.
Example:
Chicago transformed from a small trading post into a major new city due to its strategic location for railroad and water transportation, connecting agricultural goods from the West to eastern markets.
Social Darwinism
A controversial 19th-century belief that applied 'survival of the fittest' to human society, arguing that economic inequality and poverty were natural outcomes of competition and that government intervention to aid the poor was misguided.
Example:
Wealthy industrialists sometimes used Social Darwinism to justify their immense fortunes, claiming their success was a natural result of their superior abilities and hard work.
Social Mobility
The ability of individuals or groups to move up or down the social and economic hierarchy, which was influenced by the Market Revolution's creation of new wealth and opportunities, as well as increased inequality.
Example:
A skilled artisan who successfully opened his own workshop and hired apprentices demonstrated upward social mobility during this period.
Transportation
The development of new infrastructure and technologies, such as steamboats, canals, and railroads, that facilitated the movement of goods and people across the United States during the Market Revolution.
Example:
The advent of the steamboat allowed goods to be moved upstream on rivers, opening new markets and significantly speeding up commerce.
Unions
Organizations formed by workers to collectively bargain for better wages, improved working conditions, and shorter hours, gaining legal recognition for their right to strike in the mid-19th century.
Example:
After facing grueling 12-hour days, textile workers might form a union to demand a 10-hour workday, threatening a strike if their demands were not met, a right affirmed by Commonwealth v. Hunt.
Urbanization
The rapid growth of cities and the migration of people from rural areas to urban centers, driven by the availability of factory jobs and economic opportunities during the Market Revolution.
Example:
New York City experienced massive urbanization in the early 1800s, transforming from a modest port into a bustling metropolis with diverse neighborhoods.
Wage Labor
A system where individuals sell their labor for a set hourly or daily wage, becoming dependent on employers for their livelihood, a significant shift from traditional agrarian self-sufficiency or artisanal production.
Example:
Unlike farmers who owned their land, factory operatives relied entirely on wage labor to purchase food and pay rent, making them vulnerable to economic downturns.
Working Class
A new social stratum that emerged during the Market Revolution, composed of wage laborers who worked in factories, mills, and other industrial settings, often facing long hours, low pay, and harsh conditions.
Example:
Many Irish immigrants arriving in the U.S. joined the ranks of the working class, taking on difficult and often dangerous jobs in canal construction or factories.