Antebellum Era Dbq Essay

From around 1800 to 1860, the Antebellum period was a time in which America developed newfound technology rapidly, saw great economic growth, and experienced social reformation movements. However, it is also arguably the time in which the United States was most divided. During this era, one of the most significant events that contributed to American unity were the implementations of improved transportation, which included canals, roads, and railroads. These improvements allowed for faster and easier accessible commerce, provided more efficient means of getting around, and stimulated the growth of smaller communities. Though the nature of these internal improvements may be considered conversational due to the lack of government management at

At the time, many were worried about the severing of the west from eastern states and how much time was left until the union effectively broke apart. But Robert Fulton, an inventor, confidently states that canals could not only boost the economy greatly, but also be able to unite the seemingly divided regions of America. In his 1807 letter to the Secretary of the Treasury, Albert Gallatin, Fulton writes, “...What stronger bonds of union can be invented than those which enable each individual to transport the produce of his industry 1,200 miles for 60 cents the hundred weight?” (Document 1, Lines 9-10). With the rapid development and construction of railroads and canals, Robert’s argument would later on prove to be correct following the construction of the Erie canal around the mid 1820s, which connected the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The

As written in Samuel Brock’s journal entry in 1833, a woman by the name of Mrs. Lloyd was able to traverse “without fatigue a distance of five hundred miles in a little more than thirty-six hours” from Philadelphia to Richmond. (Document 4, Line 3) Samuel then goes on to say that others may also be able to experience the same journey. This goes on to show that not only would people be able to traverse faster and more efficiently, but goods and produce would also be able to reach other regions of the country faster as well. Additionally, the construction of the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s connected the west coast with the rest of the country, marking a turning point in American unification as it meant connecting people from different regions of the country together. As shown in Document 7, the extent of railroads in 1860 was much greater than that of the extent of railroads in 1850. This rapid development of railroads can be explained by the large numbers of immigrants that poured into America from 1850-1860. The first wave of immigration brought along mostly northern and western Europeans who came to America for all sorts of reasons. The Irish were most known for working on the expansion of railroads as they resided in large urban areas, where railroads would mostly meet. This expansion allowed for major cities to be connected with