Chapter 12: The Machine Age

In 1876, Thomas A. Edison produced some of the greatest inventions in his workshop in Menlo Park, New Jersey. One of the inventions was the light bulb. Edison created the development of power plants, and proved important. His inventions expanded the availability of electricity. Other inventors made electricity-based inventions for industry and home as well. The last quarter of the nineteenth century was referred to as the Age of Invention because technological advances related to Edison's work were made. The inventions opened opportunities for mass production which in turn increased the growth-rate of the economy. "Captains of the industry, also known as "robber barons", controlled the enterprises and became rich and powerful.

As the industry grew, electricity and labor became cheap-economies of scale. The industrial growth required laborers to work mindlessly like machines; resembled slave labor. Eli Whitney developed "interchangeable parts" that were created by  assembly line production. The Supreme Court (and courts alike) became pro-business, and lost the idea of removing control of industries. Corporate consolidation led economies to grow larger.

The business organization called a holding company owned sufficient stock in many companies to have a controlling interest in the production of raw material. Higher powers led to a system of monopoly in which complete control of an industry became possible.

Original Proposed 13th Amendment to the Constitution

Based on his First Inaugural Address, Lincoln proves that has no intention of removing slavery "in the States where it exists", meaning he will avoid interfering with the States.

Lincoln avoids the removal in order to protect the property, peace, and personal security of the Southern States because they are "endangered". However, Lincoln also does not object amendments made to the Constitution, but in a way that will not interfere with the "domestic institutions" of the States. His promises protect the rights that Southerners-and other United States citizens-have already obtained. Removing rights from Southerners, is claimed to be unlawful.

The message is directed to both participants in the heated argument on slavery: the North with the West, and the South. Abraham Lincoln addresses the protection of the South from the effects of the Emancipation Proclamation and near-future laws, but destroys the striving enslavement in the West and South; the two locations in the country fight against slavery to shield the stable economy, and the South protects theirs (or try to).

Heading Toward the Civil War and Reconstruction (1845-1877)

James Polk, a "war hawk" as a young man and a Democrat expansionist, was pitted against the Whig leader Henry Clay in the election of 1844. James was an expansionist because he wanted to expand the Northwestern border deep in Canadian territory. Polk won the election, thus making President Tyler to propose the annexation of Texas because he thought James Polk would mandate for annexation with his victory. Polk negotiated the American-Canadian border with reasoning. Great Britain signed the Oregon Treaty in 1846 to allow the United States to acquire Oregon, Washington, without the need for conflict/war. Polk tried buying the Southwest territory from Mexico, but failed to do so. Polk provoked the attack on American troops by Mexico, and Mexico was already provoked by the annexation of Texas. Congress granted the ability to James Polk to wage war in 1846: the Mexican-American War. Whigs members questioned the declaration of war, and if Mexico fired first.

Many Americans did not support the war because they feared that the new intact states of the West would become slave states. Some opponents thought that James Polk supported slaveholders because he declared war to gain the states, and some Americans believed that some slave owners had control over the government. These rich Southerners were defined as Slave Power by abolitionists; a symbol.

The gag rule of 1836, which forbids members of the legislative or decision-making body to raise topics or to consider discussions, raised suspicions of Slave Power. The Wilmot Proviso, a bill that prohibited the expansion of slavery to the new states that were to be gained, was not passed, and thus raised further suspicion. The decline of the bill caused the Free-Soil Party to be formed. The Free-Soil Party was a party that focused on the issues discussed in the Wilmot Proviso, and looked forward to fulfill what the bill meant to accomplish. Southerners were still insistent that the extension of slavery in the South should not be restricted.

The Mexican-American War had the United States winning because troops were taking over Texas, sent to California, and then tasked to invade Mexico City. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) gave up the Southwest that belonged to Mexico, such as Arizona, New Mexico, California, Nevada, and Utah. The new territory increased the wealth of the United States, but slavery was still a problem. The Democrats supported the South, and displayed that slavery would be allowed to be extended. Popular sovereignty would solve the issue on the decision of slavery status on the new states. Popular sovereignty meant that the territories would decide by vote, whether to refuse or allow slavery. The Whigs did not oppose slavery, so the party was divided into sections that favored or declined slavery. The Antislavery Whigs joined the Free-Soil Party. The Whigs won the presidential election of 1848 by running Zachary Taylor. The powerful Whigs leaders, Daniel Webster and Henry Clay, died before the election of 1852, marking the descent of the Whigs party. The Republican party was to rise.