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Questions For Class Discussion

Questions For Class Discussion
Chapter 14: Forging the National Economy, 1790 - 1860

  1. How does the image of the frontier compare with the reality of pioneer life as described in the chapter?

  2. Review the push factors that forced Europeans (specifically the Irish and Germans) from their home countries. What were the pull factors that attracted them to the United States? Why was the United States more appealing than other locations for European immigrants?

  3. Why was transportationparticularly the canals and the railroadsso important in the early stages of industrialization? Would industrialization have occurred more quickly if the federal government had been unimpeded in offering financial assistance to transportation projects?

  4. Which technological innovation was most important for early-nineteenth-century economic development?

  5. Compare the life of factory workers to that of slaves in the South. Is "wage slave" an appropriate description for factory workers?

  6. What effects did the movement from a subsistence to a market economy have on American society, including farmers, laborers, and women? What were the advantages and disadvantages of the change?

  7. To what degree was American industrialization made possible by foreign contributions, such as immigration and "stolen" mill plans?
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