The civil war caused the South and West to be regarded as opportunistic land. Before 1860 the region between the Mississippi River and northern California had been viewed as a barren land of no importance; however, after the Civil War in 1865 there was transformation. The New South. A Fresh Vision Following the ruins left after the Civil War, a number of influential leaders arose, led by Henry W. Grady, who was branded the "major prophet" of the south. They championed small scale farming and the development of industries (Shi and Tindall 590). In addition, the land in the south that had entirely depended on slavery and agriculture was branded as the "Old South". A new dawn for a "New South" had come, and it would emulate the north in improving small farms and diversifying industries. Economic Growth The southerners focused mainly on cotton …show more content…
Big Business and Organized Labor The Industrial revolution had occurred and this also changed the manufacturing sector of America, along with economic growth, and a shift in the social and political scenario. Essentially, new large farms which incorporated all the smaller single company units were formed. There was a growth in the country's economy which led to the emergence of organized labor movements. The second industrial revolution emerged in the mid-1890s, after the first one had taken place in Britain. Basically, it dealt with the production of heavy machines, chemicals, metals and foodstuffs (Shi and Tindall 552). There were three major related developments: the creation of interconnected national transport and communication systems, the use of electric powered machinery, and the application of scientific research to industrial processes. The building of railroads that cut across major states was the first step and it helped open up the western region for economic growth and development. The railroad's construction was financed by private companies, together with funding from the state and national