The market revolution, which started in 1815, transformed worker lives, and improved the nation vastly; although it also dropped the economy as well. The traditional market, which was based upon power generated by animals and water, was slow in activities such as transportation. The growing nation underwent peace, which then catalyzed the reform of the organization of the economy. As such, transportation was heavily improved upon, along with manufacturing, banking, and commercial law. However, there were also two panics during the time that occurred that led to many Americans who were anxious and uncertain about working in the country. Due to the market revolution having both positive and negative effects, it was beneficial to some extent. …show more content…
Banks boosted the economy by making loans to people such as manufacturers and increased the monetary supply. Banknotes were used as loans, and became the currency for transactions. Federal and state governments didn’t use paper money, which lead to a dependency on banknotes. However, that also meant that there were counterfeits and people taking advantages over others. Banks would therefore decide on who to have loans, as well as discount rates, leading to a large increase of power that banks would have. As a result due to bank power, the Commercial Law was established to help charter businesses and create limited liability for investor’s. Developers were legally allowed to buy land from the unwilling. It also didn’t allow employees who were hurt in the workplace to lay blame onto their employers. These things enabled investors who were close to banks to succeed and increase their wealthy. There were many people who believed that this would lead to a collapse in the economy for those with unequal privileges, and despite the large boom in the economy the first few years, there was the panic of 1819. Prices went sky-high, and high inflation only worsened the situation for many of the laborers. The first to blame was the Bank of the United States, which had stopped exchanging precious metals for banknotes. When it began to call its loans, people were unable to pay, leading to a devastating effect on the economy. The …show more content…
Transportation meant more interactions of people and information, but often had devastating effects due to the human folly of wanting to decrease time. Women in the work force increased the production rate, as well as a boom in the economy, but were often treated in inhumane conditions and regarded lowly. Banks allowed vast opportunities for the wealthy investors, but also ended up disabling the poor working force, especially in the depression. As such, while there were evident benefits to the market revolution that heavily boosted the economy and development of the country, the drawbacks still outweighed the positives. Death and people taking advantages of others led to the market revolution being a dark time in American history. Therefore, while there were evident benefits that came with the market revolution, it was ultimately undermined by the greed by the wealthy and those in power that came along with