Essays of Over Contending Voices
Part 1
Response on William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass
Garrison and Frederick Douglas had revealed some form of issues that led to disagreement. To start with Garrison, in the year the 1830s, he had developed a belief that the US constitution was proslavery. He called for a free state, aimed at seceding from the union, termed as “disunionsm” provoking the debate on the abolitionist community. Despite being friends for a long time, Douglas received a new revelation. After getting influence from Gerrit Smith, Douglass abandons the position that the US constitution is proslavery, changing his mind about Garrison’s call to dissolve the union (Smith, 2018). It sounds sarcastic that so fast Douglas, A disciple to Garrison, changes and starts attacking his mentor's position, creating tension between the two men. This article is historically relevant in our contest because it happens in the time frame between the 1800s and the 1860s, which is our period of concern for change in the US and the correspondent economic development.
Catharine Beecher and Elizabeth Cady Stanton
This pair discusses the cult of domesticity, where women of the middle class were known for their purity and domestic virtues. These two presents the masculine and feminine separation, which is a divine and natural law in women. According to them, the role of many to engage in community development, addressing commerce, business, and politics, while the role of women is to act as guardians of the home and family. However, with the abolitionist movement, women begged for revision of the law, fighting against slavery and the need for inclusion in political positions. For this reason, Catherine Beecher fought hard to become a leader of a movement promoting women's education and feminism (Beecher & Stanton). In 1832, she established a school for daughters of wealthy families, which was preparatory for women as housewives and mothers. On the other hand, Stanton and Mott though fighting for the abolitionist movement of slavery. They fought for equal voting, legal and property rights for women. Unlike Beecher, who emphasized education, these two held a conference in Seneca Falls, with the main theme of equality. “All men and women are equally created” was their slogan movement.
Part 2
Introduction
In the 19th century, the United States had experienced some economic surge. However, after restructuring, there was a positive change in the economy. During this time, there was a lot of tension in the economy; more significantly, this time was characterized by the slave trade, where the latter slaves provided labor. Slave trade was common in the northern state, while the slaves would work as slaves in the southern farms. Additionally, this time was characterized by economic growth and the beginning of early industrialization. Although the industrial revolution had kicked off in the mid-18th century, it took its place in the 19th century around the 1830s. The revolution was faced with scarcity of labor, thus encouraging importing more slaves mostly from the African continent and other few from the Asians and European regions. Precisely, in the Northern region, the development was attributed to the industrial revolution, railroads, and road development, while the southern region's development was primarily due to market revolution and agricultural activities such as the growth of cotton.
Industrial Revolution and railroads in the North
Rapid growth and development characterized the northern section of the US. After World War I and the beginning of the civil war, the United States had realized a significant development, especially in the Northern region. The development was characterized by a fast improvement in the general infrastructure, the rapid growth of factories, and new technology that led to increased agricultural production. Immediately after World War I, the Americans settled into new lands and started their development projects (Weiss, 2019). The swift settlement made them settle and start crop production, solving their subsistence needs. It did not take them longer than they produce enough for themselves and surpluses, thus transforming their production into commercial agriculture. Additionally, manufacturing increased, fostering the economic sector, setting the basis for rapid industrialization.
Moreover, the advancement in technology and economic development was the key driver towards changing American society. Further, the expansion of the US a period before the civil war resulted from infrastructure development. During this time also, the development of steamboats had started, which made it possible navigable and acted as the essential commercial point for the entire region and also supply of food to bordering nations. The creation of interlard waterways was also possible with the new technology; they helped export products to distant markets. An added advantage was that most of the rivers in the US, such as Tennessee and Cumberland, were navigable, feeding into Ohio, which was used to transport agricultural products from the Old Northwest to East Coast. The navigation was free, attracting the interest of many Americans.
Moreover, the construction of the railroad, which had begun in 1825, was an element that promoted development in this region. Before the end of 1860, Americans had already created over thirty thousand miles. The concentration of the railroads was dominant in the Northeast, reaching St. Joseph, Missouri, located in the South. To some extent, the invention of the canal lagged the extension of the railroads, despite the advantages they have over the canals. The railroads were much more significant as they required little capital investment. Also, they offered direct routes offering faster and all-year-round services. This outdoes the rivers as they would freeze in winter, making them unnavigable.
Development in the South
Development in the southern part of the US was based on two significant aspects: the market revolution and cotton growth. Although the market revolution had begun sometime in the 1790s, it reached a climax in the 19th century. During the 19th century, the US experienced a swift change in the system of labor. The United States changed manual labor from the south, drastically moving towards the north and then spreading to the entire world. Additionally, during the same time, the southern parts experienced a rise in wage labor and agricultural explosion in the south and west (Feagin et al., 2019). Agricultural products were easily sold to the local and external markets. Rapid development and westward expansion resulting from market revolution is the reason for land speculation. The latter speculation is attributed to the economic boom and bust.
More so, the south has been known for fertile soils and a warm climate. Therefore, these regions are favorable for cotton and tobacco growth; this area of late is known for large-scale farming of these crops. Due to the economic value of cotton and tobacco majority, the southerners saw the importance of developing industries. Over eight of the population in this region were actively engaged in cotton plantations, becoming a commercial activity. Also, domestic manufacturing had become one of the crucial castors in the development of the US economy (Weiss, 2019). The southern region became the cotton gin, revolutionizing the cotton industry in the southern region. The term cotton gin was a term that was used to separate cotton fibers from their seeds easily and quickly. The use of machines helped in eliminating slavery, who would use hand to do the latter task. Later, Whitney developed muskets comprising interchangeable parts, using the technology borrowed from the northern manufacturers in their industries.
Conclusion
In general, development in the US during the period 1800-1860 was double phased. The US starting from the North to South and back. Overall development was due to the swift settlement that happened in the US after the end of World War I. Full engagement in agriculture produced enough for themselves and surplus for commercial purposes. This led to industrialization and the development of infrastructure. In the south, the cotton and market revolution opened the south to the whole of America to the whole world, fostering economic development.
References
Beecher, C. & Stanton, E. C. The Cult of Domesticity 1840-1867. Retrieved from; http://schools.birdvilleschools.net/cms/lib2/TX01000797/Centricity/Domain/1125/Womens%20Movement.pdf
Feagin, J., Long, B., Blankenship, S., & Callahan, J. S. (2019). Video Set for American History I (The American Yawp).
Smith, G. H. (2018). WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON AND FREDERICK DOUGLASS ON DISUNIONISM. Retrieved from; https://www.libertarianism.org/columns/william-lloyd-garrison-frederick-douglass-disunionism
Weiss, T. (2019). Economic Growth in the United States, 1790 to 1860. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Economics and Finance.
