7/7 AP United States History DBQ Essay: Market revolution, 1790-1860

The Prompt

The Essay

In 1783 the Americans had won their independence from Britain. With their freedom, Americans began creating one shared identity. As time passed the ratification of the US constitution allowed Americans to change economically by establishing regulated commerce. Through this political structure, America rapidly grew territorially that became the foundation for new economical change and connectivity. The Market Revolution substantially changed American society from 1790-1860, although this era failed to change social hierarchies and racial inequalities that were ingrained in American life since colonial times, yet it transformed society by altering thoughts on women's rights and their roles in a reformed society, the continuation of slavery and the conflicting views on it, and causing shift from a agricultural based economy. Though the Market Revolution reformed many parts of American society it ultimately failed to bring true societal change, instead entrenching inequalities and deepening sectionalism across the country. To prove this lack of progress many technological and social causes can be brought up. The expansion of capitalism through inventions such as the steamboat, which accelerated the expansion and transport of goods. The Cotton and Gin created by Eli Whitney shared a similar cause by helping enable the mass production of textiles. At the same time the cult of domesticity, a value system that was formed to continue confine women into strict social roles. These seemingly advancements combined showed the true effects of the Market Revolution were more regressive in nature. While the steamboat helped tie the economy of the North and South together, it created a larger gap between the elite of the North and the poor farmers in the South. Furthermore the steamboat and the cotton and gin also helped the expansion of slavery, which was looked down upon by the North who believed in inexpensive labor and religious ideas from the Second Great Awakening. This ideological divergence also paired with the cult of domesticity, even though women were working in factories, they were paid less and forced to return to their homes after marriage, even if they were equal morally this idea stopped them from being equal economically and politically, showing how the Market Revolution reinforced the regressive effects between gender and race and regional sectionalism. The Market Revolution deeply impacted the roles of women socially and economically by creating conflicts between changing economic norms and social expectations. The Age of Homespun by Horace Bushnell showed the change of women's livelihood and the view on marriage. Bushnell addresses that women were given by God, and how life before the relationship between husband and wife and the home were better before the time of factories. That from the transition for women from life on the farm to the factories means the complete reform of home life and what that means ( Doc 7). Horace Bushnell's purpose was to show that with the change in economy the role of women in society did not remain stagnant and misses the time where women were seen as a way to give a husband a living not to contribute to it. Bushnell tells the crowd that they must rethink domestic life, and shows the idea that women should go back to being the moral center for their husbands and a teacher to her children. Bushnell’s views prove cultural anxiety over the reformation of domestic life. Bushnell urges his audience to resist the idea that a woman's value and job is in industrial income. In 1836, Harriet H. Robinson witnessed a labor strike made by the mill girls. Robinson witnessed girls standing up for themselves and their grievances against their jobs for attempting to cut down their wages. Showing how despite the social constrictions raised upon them women were not afraid to stand up for themselves and what they believed they deserved even though they ultimately failed in the end (Doc 5). What Harriet H. Robinson witnessed a first of its time where it had taken place, a woman speaking publicly against her job and enacting a strike. It can be seen as an inspiration even if in the end no change was created it showed other women and minorities that it was their duty and their duty to enact justice for themselves. Ultimately, some women took an even bigger stand in the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, the first organized women's rights convention, pushing for equality and economic rights more and more when the smaller uprisings had failed before. Proving that the Market Revolution changed how women were treated throughout the rest of American history. Slavery and the morality of it was also greatly challenged in the Market Revolution. Increasing sectional tensions between the North and South and politically in events such as the Missouri Compromise. The Missouri Compromise was enacted to preserve the peace between the North and South over slavery by prohibiting slavery in any land north the 36,30’ except the boundaries of Missouri itself. Demonstrating the importance of slavery in the South and what they were willing to do to fight for the ability to use it. The expansion of cotton from 1820-1860 shows the spread and growing dependency on slavery. In 1860 it showed a double in land usage in the growth of cotton (Doc 4) . As a fundamental cash crop cotton required lots of land that required more and more workers as time went on including the spread of slavery. Inventions such as the cotton and gin also contributed to this by allowing it to be mass processed at an even faster rate than it had before. Westward expansion also played a major role in the expansion of slavery, many Americans largely settled from New York out west to claim land and grow cash crops and other various opportunities ( Doc 1). As America gained land from deals, for example the Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803, more and more settlers moved westward. With more land meant more space for large cash crops and trading the production of these products relied on slavery meaning if the cash crops such as cotton and tobacco expanded so did the use of slavery. The Market Revolution also changed the economy of the North and South in various ways. Not only by connecting the North and the South but also the marketing of new land westward. James Madison addressed to Congress the importance of creating canals and railroads for the betterment of American society and everyday life. By creating these railroads it would be unifying the nation both economically and politically (Doc 1). By unifying the nation it serves the greater purpose of bringing Americans together so they know that they do not work alone and only for their own benefit, and therefore will enlarge the patriotism in the nation. Basil Hall came to America in 1829 and saw the imports and exports of a variety from manufactured to raw materials and how America will only grow from there ( Doc 3). Basil Hasil was. British traveler who witnessed the economy and everyday life of an American, and predicted that Americans and the wares they give and obtain will only grow from there because of the makings of canals such as the Eerie canal. John James Audobon addressed this to the squatters, men or families who illegally settled on federal land. Audobon told them of the great land Mississippi advertising it to be a land full of great game and will be a center of commerce, and the knowledge that land is free for now but will only increase in price in the future (Doc 6). John James Audobon’s purpose was to encourage westward expansion at the same time of removing squatters from federal land by promoting the Mississippi as this great land that will be enlightened and only grow more and more important in America.

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