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Back in 1850, America is still mostly a country of farmers. But just 20 years later, America has been utterly transformed into a vibrant new industrial economy. Factories are springing up everywhere.

The spark that ignites this explosion is the steam engine, which provides power. But there are three other key elements, which feed on each other to keep it growing. Iron, coal and immigrant labor.

Railroads use lots of iron, and factory machinery is almost entirely iron. Pennsylvania's abundant coal fields provide the energy required to extract this iron from raw ore. Immigrants provide labor wherever needed.
Manufacturing boom, 1870

  Big Machines
By 1870, the Industrial Era in America is hitting on all cylinders. This is partly because steam locomotives are becoming widely available everywhere, as well as stationary steam engines for factories. But above all, it's the growing availability of iron and coal.  After the war, coal takes over in a big way, as railways begin moving massive amounts of it.

Chicago Exposition, 1876

  Futuristic Technology
There is no magical date when the Industrial Era began, but the Civil War is a good dividing line. Before the war, manufacturing is barely noticeable, except in the largest cities. Afterwards, it's seemingly everywhere. By 1876, in fact, the change is so dramatic that America stages its very first grand manufacturing exposition, in Philadelphia. The date marks the 100-year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and America is in a celebrating mood.


Steam engines, 1870

  Unlimited Power (almost)
The steam engine above (left) is typical of those being installed everywhere in the 1870s, from New York to Kansas, and even California. They are not only bigger and more powerful, but also much more efficient. This is largely due to separate linkage mechanisms for the intake and exhaust valves, which can be precisely timed to extract the maximum energy. The steam engines are big, but operate slowly and almost completely silently, with massive flywheels to smooth out the stroke.