The making of the American nation; a history for elementary schools . tercourse acts (1807, 1809) put a stopto the importation of such wares. The people, therefore, werecompelled either to make these things themselves or ^j^g imp-tto go without them. They chose to make them ; and to manufac-immediately clubs and societies for the encourage- *£ment of manufacturing enterprises were formed in nearly everystate. Prizes were given for the production of textiles, andbounties were freely offered to companies which should under-take the building of manufacturing plants. In many cases suchcompanies we
The making of the American nation; a history for elementary schools . tercourse acts (1807, 1809) put a stopto the importation of such wares. The people, therefore, werecompelled either to make these things themselves or ^j^g imp-tto go without them. They chose to make them ; and to manufac-immediately clubs and societies for the encourage- *£ment of manufacturing enterprises were formed in nearly everystate. Prizes were given for the production of textiles, andbounties were freely offered to companies which should under-take the building of manufacturing plants. In many cases suchcompanies were to be exempt from taxation for a number ofyears. Legislatures passed resolutions requesting their membersto wear garments of homemade cloth, and in some instancespeople who insisted on wearing European tawdry, as it wascalled, were promptly put out of society by their more demo-cratic neighbors. Shops for the sale of domestic-made wareswere established in almost every city and town. 1 See page 100. 236 THE MAKING OF THE AMERICAN NATION tures inthe North With this very general encouragement^ it is not surprising thata multitude of manufactures came into existence. At that time,Manufac- however, the steam engine was but little used in theUnited States, and, on account of the suspension offoreign commerce, such engines could not be purchasedFalling water, therefore, was about the only availablepower; the water power existed only where there were abruptslopes — chiefly on the New England plateau and the slopes of the Appalachian of the maniifactur-ing establishments werebuilt in localities wherethe falls and rapids ofstreams could best beutilized.^ After a fewyears it was found thatthese establishments sur-vived chiefly in the NewEngland plateau and insome of the larger cities,such as Philadelphia,where there was availablewater power. This wasmainly for the reasonthat the money formerlyinvested in commerce inNew England and theMiddle states became availab
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