How Did The New Technology Affect The Economy

Technology and American Economic Growth Economic growth in the United States of America between 1840 and 1860 was mainly due to advancements in technology that allowed many things to be done better, faster, and cheaper. These advancements helped push the economy to its potential by introducing new methods of agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation. These new methods brought about an economic uprising across the country. During this time, American settlers were moving west looking for fertile land for planting. The roof-matted prairie soil was richly fertile, but it was also difficult to break. However, in 1837, John Deere developed a steel-tipped plow that could easily till the soil, effectively cutting in half the labor required and turing the midwest into a wheat-producing powerhouse. In addition, the traditional hand sickle use for harvesting wheat was replaced by Cyrus McCormick’s mechanical reaper. This machine could harvest grain seven times faster using half the original work force. Production and wide distribution of the

Industrial advances such as interchangeable parts allowed factories to easily replace parts on machines that broke down. This system of interchangeable parts, or the “American System of Manufacturing”, also allowed entrepreneurs to mass produce inventions with great speed, attracting investors. The amount of advantages the new system of machines had greatly surpassed the old system of manual labor in both productivity and profit. After Samuel F. B. Morse sent the first telegraph message, telegraph lines started connecting the entire country, giving businesses access to fast communication and further increasing economic productivity brought about by technology. Both agriculture and manufacturing were significant during this time, but nothing was more eye-opening to the economy than