Ch. 14, Section 1: The Expansion of Industry
The period following the Civil War was characterized by the
significant growth of technology and inventions. Between 1790 and 1860, the
government issued only 36,000
patents. A patent is a license that gives an inventor the exclusive right to
make, use, or sell an invention for a set period of time. In contrast, between 1860 and 1890, the
government issued 500,000 patents.
Inventions such as the typewriter, telephone, and phonograph influenced changes
in the economy, business practices, and the daily lives of Americans. Thus, America experienced the “Gilded Age,”
as termed by Mark Twain. Gilded means
“covered with a thin layer of gold,” and the term implied that the thin layer
covered the poverty and corruption in the country. However, the Gilded Age was a golden period
for industrialists, and many Americans became rich as a result of booming
industries.
Your task is to research one invention from the post-Civil
War era (1860-1890). Each student in the
class will have a different invention as chosen at random. Students will have various inventions chosen
at random in class. from your research
in a well-developed paragraph. Refer to credible sources from the internet
to find the information. DO NOT plagiarize, as this will result in the grade of
a zero. Paraphrase your work and make inferences.
1.
What is the invention? Identify who invented the
product, the time frame (year) of the invention, and the progression of the
idea/finished product. (at least 4 sentences)- 5 points
2.
Explain and analyze the IMPACT of the invention
on the American economy as well as on the daily lives of Americans. Be as
specific as specific as possible in your answer. (at least 5 sentences)- 7
points
3.
Compare the invention to a modern day product. (at
least 3 sentences)- 3 points.
MLA format= 5 points
Total point value= 20 points
Due: Thursday, January 30th at the beginning of
class.
Requirements: The paragraph must be typed in MLA format
(include a proper header and title, font size 12, one-inch margins, proper
spacing) You do not need to have a works cited page.
