Expansion of Industry

Question:

What were the three major factors that contributed to the immense technological boom that took place in the United States after the Civil War? Explain how two of these factors helped to bring about this technological boom.

The three major factors that contributed to America's post-Civil War technological boom were government-backed businesses, more natural resources, and the fact that there were large amounts of people available to perform manual labor, and to be interested in new products.

As more and more natural resources were discovered throughout the country, the need to mine and refine them became huge. Resources such as oil, iron, and coal were found in vast amounts throughout the country, especially in the new western territories. With each new discovery, a new method of extracting that resource needed to be developed. Soon, technology to mine these resources began popping up all over the US. The need for new technology was so great that the process of developing said machines became very quick, and soon America was pushed into its technological age.

The fact that there were many people performing manual labor (and available to perform this labor) also contributed to America's technological boom. Machines such as typewriters, sewing machines, and telephones all improved the world of business. Typewriters created many new job opportunities - especially for women - as did sewing machines. Inventors were eager to create products that would be widely used, and there were many niches to fill at this point in history.