Western Migration and Urban Growth
As Americans moved westward, cities also grew significantly. By 1810, New York and Philadelphia each had more than 100,000 residents. About 10% of New York's population consisted of immigrants, mostly Irish, while the number of African Americans in the city grew to more than 10,000.
Young people increasingly sought jobs in manufacturing, skilled trades, and service work when eastern farmland lost fertility. New Orleans became a key commercial center, while trading posts appeared throughout the Mississippi Valley, creating foundations for future cities.
Transportation developments accelerated these changes. Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin urged funding for economic development, leading to the construction of turnpikes and roads. These infrastructure improvements made transport faster and cheaper, though those living farther west faced bigger challenges.
Connecting the Dots: These population movements heightened conflicts with Native Americans and enslaved people, but also encouraged innovations in transportation, communication, agriculture, and manufacturing that would transform America's economy for generations to come.