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Article: The Birth of Big Business.(United States history 1865-)
- Article from:
- Cobblestone
- Article date:
- April 1, 2000
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 Carus Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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In the spring of 1865, the bloody Civil War came to an end. It had nearly destroyed the nation. But it also had created opportunities. The war meant almost instant wealth for the men who manufactured arms, clothing, and supplies for the opposing armies.
After the war, many of these businessmen competed for new opportunities to invest their wealth and make money. The United States was expanding rapidly. Many fortunes were made on railroads. Railways opened up access to the West and new areas for farming, ranching, and land development.
Railroads were extremely expensive to construct. They required large amounts of labor and materials. A businessman could ...