The Genesis of Industrial America, 1870–1920

This book, first published in 2007, offers a bold interpretation of American business history at the dawn of big business, 1870–1920.

Maury Klein (Author)

9780521677097, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 3 September 2007

238 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.34 kg

"The prose is brisk, lively, and readable..." -Robert MacDougall, Technology and Culture

This book, first published in 2007, offers a bold new interpretation of American business history during the formative years 1870–1920, which mark the dawn of modern big business. It focuses on four major revolutions that ushered in this new era: those in power, transportation, communication, and organization. Using the metaphor of America as an economic hothouse uniquely suited to rapid economic growth during these years, it analyzes the interplay of key factors such as entrepreneurial talent, technology, land, natural resources, law, mass markets, and the rise of cities. It also delineates the process that laid the foundation for the modern era, in which virtually every human activity became a business, and, in most cases, a big business. The book also profiles numerous major entrepreneurs whose careers and activities illustrate broader trends and themes. It utilizes a wide variety of sources, including novels from the period, to produce a lively narrative.

Prologue: a hothouse for economic growth
1. The marvel of men and machines
2. The lure of lovely and lucrative land
3. The defeat of distance and desolation
4. The potential of plentiful power
5. The fabrication of familiar forms
6. The burden of bargaining with behemoths
7. The collision of city and country
8. The mastery of mass markets
Epilogue: the boundaries of big business.

Subject Areas: Industrialisation & industrial history [HBTK], 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW], History of the Americas [HBJK]