Economic Reforms

Education- 1837- Massachusetts legislature, established the nation’s first school board of education. It demanded that the government assume centralized control over Massachusetts’s school. They preached standardization and professionalism. All schools should have the same standards of compulsory attendance, strict discipline, common textbooks, professionally trained teachers and competitive classes for age-segregated students. This was the start of school reform in New England improving schools for the children and making more opportunities for women. Horace Mann was the first head of the board of education.

Land Prices- Land value was dramatically higher in antebellum society for counties that had river, railroad, or canal access…huge economic gains from transportation ease.

Important Economic reformers:
Andrew Smith Halide- he was a mechanical genius who came up with the idea of cable car transportation. This was another achievement in transportation, and was another way to transport things and people across cities and towns. Eli Whitney was also a imprtant reformer who built the cotton gin, which is seen above. Also, Samuel SSlater was an important man who brought the textile mills from England. More information on these men can be found on the biography page.

Economic Changes in Industry:
Ø The“putting-out system” were beginnings of mass production.
Ø Artisans very important—took on journeymen, apprentices, and indentured
Ø Rhode Island System—family employment and small mills...difficulties with the larger factories led to the...

Ø Waltham System: young farm daughters hired. Worked long hours/low pay.
Ø Eli Whitney’s cotton gin---allowed more progress in the South.
Ø INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS used in assembly line system.
“Boston Associates” brought canals right to their factory to increase productivity.

Canals and Steamboats:
John Fitch and Robert Fulton---helped develop early steamboats.
Erie Canal—Construction began in 1817, finished canal spanned 364 miles. Allowed goods to be shipped from upper Midwest to the East Coast quicker and cheaper. Erie Canal also helped initiate the building of other canals-even in the South.

Railroads:
By far the quickest and best way to ship goods and people. More of them than canals—far more dependable.

Baltimore-Ohio, Boston and Worcester, and Charleston and Hamburg railroads were the 3 first...beginning to make the North far more navigable than the South (would later effect Civil War).

Governmental Influence:
First National Road was not followed up with more—70 percent of canals were also state funded. 50 percent of railroads were state funded in the first half of the 19th century also. With the issue of monopolies, it was clear that the federal gov. wanted to open up competition, as shown in the court cases of Gibbons v. Ogden and Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge.


	Education- 1837- Massachusetts legislature, established the nation’s first school board of education. It demanded that the government assume centralized control over Massachusetts’s school. They preached standardization and professionalism. All schools should have the same standards of compulsory attendance, strict discipline, common textbooks, professionally trained teachers and competitive classes for age-segregated students. This was the start of school reform in New England improving schools for the children and making more opportunities for women. Horace Mann was the first head of the board of education. Land Prices- Land value was dramatically higher in antebellum society for counties that had river, railroad, or canal access…huge economic gains from transportation ease. Important Economic reformers: Andrew Smith Halide- he was a mechanical genius who came up with the idea of cable car transportation. This was another achievement in transportation, and was another way to transport things and people across cities and towns. Eli Whitney was also a imprtant reformer who built the cotton gin, which is seen above. Also, Samuel SSlater was an important man who brought the textile mills from England. More information on these men can be found on the biography page. Economic Changes in Industry: Ø The“putting-out system” were beginnings of mass production. Ø Artisans very important—took on journeymen, apprentices, and indentured Ø Rhode Island System—family employment and small mills...difficulties with the larger factories led to the... Ø Waltham System: young farm daughters hired. Worked long hours/low pay. Ø Eli Whitney’s cotton gin---allowed more progress in the South. Ø INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS used in assembly line system. “Boston Associates” brought canals right to their factory to increase productivity. Canals and Steamboats: John Fitch and Robert Fulton---helped develop early steamboats. Erie Canal—Construction began in 1817, finished canal spanned 364 miles. Allowed goods to be shipped from upper Midwest to the East Coast quicker and cheaper. Erie Canal also helped initiate the building of other canals-even in the South. Railroads: By far the quickest and best way to ship goods and people. More of them than canals—far more dependable. Baltimore-Ohio, Boston and Worcester, and Charleston and Hamburg railroads were the 3 first...beginning to make the North far more navigable than the South (would later effect Civil War). Governmental Influence: First National Road was not followed up with more—70 percent of canals were also state funded. 50 percent of railroads were state funded in the first half of the 19th century also. With the issue of monopolies, it was clear that the federal gov. wanted to open up competition, as shown in the court cases of Gibbons v. Ogden and Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge.
	Want to learn more on economic reforms in the pre-civil war era? Try the University of Virginina or The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics