The Market Revolution
The antebellum era held many beneficial innovations for the United States. The Market Revolution led to improvements in both travel and technology that guided America to become a more productive nation. More opportunities became available to all Americans which led to growth and prosperity of the people. The Market Revolution was beneficial to America in every way possible. When the term “Market Revolution” is heard, the first thing many people associate it with is Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin. Whitney’s invention was the first major innovation, revolutionizing both northern manufacturing and southern agriculture. Since the job was previously done by hand, the cotton gin produced a higher supply of cotton at a faster rate. Cotton grew from 750,000 bales per year in 1830 to 2.5 million bales per year in 1850. America became a major supplier of cotton for the British and provided two-thirds of the world’s cotton supply. The cotton gin was among the most beneficial innovations in the antebellum era. Whitney also invented interchangeable parts in 1797 that provided easier compatibility of different parts of muskets. Many manufacturers soon began using his invention for their own benefits. Because of the large success of his innovations, Eli Whitney was a very important figure of the Market Revolution. Richard Fulton’s invention of the steamboat revolutionized water travel in the early 1800’s. Steamboats were able to travel up and downstream requiring little or no effort from those onboard. Mariners could leave port any time because they did not have to rely on winds to get them to their destination. Shipping was much cheaper and easier for the Southerners because they did not have to ship products around Florida and up the Eastern seaboard because steamboats had the power to travel up the Mississippi. Buffalo robes, cotton, rice, and other products could be shipped via the Mississippi River. From John James Audubon’s Missouri River Journals, he