The United States became the largest industrial country in the world by 1900 due to several key factors: 1) Cheap labor from 20 million immigrants who came for jobs and to escape military service or religious persecution; 2) Plenty of natural resources like water, timber, coal, iron and copper; 3) The expansion of railroads which linked markets and stimulated spending on infrastructure; and 4) A laissez-faire government that imposed no regulations and kept taxes low, fueling industrial growth. Inventions like the telephone and light bulb also increased productivity.

1. The Rise of Industry After the Civil War there were 30 million people living in the US –1.3 million worked in Industry. Only 40 years later, by 1900, US was the largest Industrial country in the world. How did the US become the largest Industrial country in the World? Many factors contributed to the Industrial Revolution

2. The 5 factors that Contributed to Industrialization

3. Cheap Labor Between 1865-1910 about 20 million immigrants came from Eastern Europe--countries like Italy, Greece, Poland and Russia Why did they come? Jobs-plenty of jobs and land in US Forced military service Avoid religious persecution Have a higher standard of living

4. These multitudes added to the growing industrial workforce, helping factories increase their production and furthering demand for industrial products

5. Immigrants from Europe

6. Steerage

7. New York City

8. Statue of Liberty

10. The Grand Hall at Ellis Island

11. Plenty of Natural Resources West Water, timber, coal, iron, and copper- The presence of these raw materials meant that American companies could obtain them cheaply. But how would they get these products to and from the West??

12. The Railroad By linking the nation, railroads helped increase the size of markets for many products. The Railroad itself stimulated the economy by spending extraordinary amounts of money on steel, coal, timber and other necessities.

13. What was the Government Doing? Nothing!!! The Government practiced Laissez-Faire economies Kept taxes low and imposed no regulations

14. Men on break

16. Child Labor

18. The Inventions A flood of important inventions helped increase the nation’s productive capacity and improved the network of transportations and communications

19. Alexander Graham Bell Invented the telephone

20. Thomas Alva Edison Perhaps the most famous inventor of the late 1800’s Phonograph Perfected the light bulb Later the battery, the Dictaphone, the mimeograph and the motion picture