Industrial Revolution

Timeline of Economic and Organizational Influence during the American Industrial Revolution

1760: Switch from agriculture economy to factory economy

1785: First turnpike was created for transportation of goods

1789: First American industrial mill was created and opened by Samuel Slater

1789: “Outwork system” was established, followed by “factory system”

1791: Alexander Hamilton’s First Bank of the United States opened; chartered by Congress

1800: First canal (Santee canal) was created connecting Charleston to Colombia.

1807: First successful commercial steamboat was invented for transportation of goods

1811: Bank was closed by James Madison after he let charter lapse

1820s: Strikes helped influence the formation of unions and union federations

1825: Eerie Canal completed; longest canal in the world

1830s: Labor strikes continued to influence the formation of unions and union federations

1833: First railroad line from Charleston to Hamburg on the Savannah River opened for transportation of goods

1850s: Unions began forming in response to social and economic impact of the Industrial Revolution

1866-1868: The National Labor Union was formed. One major achievement of the National Labor Union was their ability to help persuade Congress to mandate an 8-hour work day which was applied for government workers