Heimler's History: The Market Revolution and its Societal Impact

Introduction

Unit Focus: Unit 4 of AP US History
Previous Video: Technological and agricultural innovations leading to the Market Revolution
Current Focus: Impact of the Market Revolution on society and culture in the early 19th century

Industrial City Growth: Significant increase in size and diversity
European Immigration:
- Predominantly Irish and German immigrants
- Irish: Fled due to the potato famine leading to hunger
- Germans: Displaced farmers, democratic revolution failures (1848)
- Immigration Statistics:
  - 1820s: 150,000 Irish immigrants
  - 1830s: 600,000 immigrants
  - 1840s: 1.7 million immigrants
Settlement Patterns:
- Many settled in eastern cities, working in industries
- Contributed to cheap labor and industrial expansion
- Cultural contributions: establishment of synagogues, churches
- Others moved west, settling along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers

Nativists' Reaction:
- Hostility towards immigrant cultures
- Stereotypes against Jews and Catholics
- Accusations against Catholics as agents of the Pope

Characteristics:
- Comprised of businessmen, shopkeepers, professionals
- Emphasis on education and temperance
- Strong Protestant religious affiliations
- Distinct social norms, leisure activities
Leisure and Consumption:
- Plays, circuses, and sports events popular among middle class

Cult of Domesticity:
- Women's roles focused on home and family
- Separation of gender roles: public (men) vs. private (women)
Working-Class Women:
- Worked in factories for low wages, long hours
- Example: Lowell factory in Massachusetts
- Strict supervision and control over personal time

The market revolution significantly transformed society, affecting migration patterns, class structures, and gender roles.