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The economic history of the United States spans the colonial era through the 21st century. The initial settlements depended on agriculture and hunting/trapping, later adding international trade, manufacturing, and finally, services, to the point where agriculture represented less than 2% of GDP .
Another major advantage enjoyed by the United States was the absence of an aristocracy or gentry. The eastern seaboard of the United States, with a great number of rivers and streams along the Atlantic seaboard, provided many potential sites for constructing textile mills necessary for early industrialization.
The prohibition of imports under the Embargo Act resulted in the expansion of new, emerging US domestic industries across the board, particularly the textile industry, and marked the beginning of the manufacturing system in the United States, reducing the nation's dependence upon imported manufactured goods. [20] [21]
Tariffs have historically served a key role in the trade policy of the United States.Their purpose was to generate revenue for the federal government and to allow for import substitution industrialization (industrialization of a nation by replacing imports with domestic production) by acting as a protective barrier around infant industries. [1]
As late as 1900, most industrial workers in the United States worked a 10-hour day (12 hours in the steel industry), yet earned 20–40% less than the minimum deemed necessary for a decent life; [158] however, most workers in textiles, which was by far the leading industry in terms of employment, were women and children. [44]
The economic history of the United States began with British settlements along the Eastern seaboard in the 17th and 18th centuries. After 1700, the United States gained population rapidly, and imports as well as exports grew along with it. Africa, Asia, and most frequently Europe, contributed to the trade of the colonies. [88]
The COVID-19 recession proved to be the shortest recession in US history but had the largest GDP decline since the 1945 recession. [19] The short-term economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic included supply chain shortages , the collapse of many service and hospitality industries, and a dramatic rise in unemployment.
Crude oil production Natural oil seeps such as this in the McKittrick area of California were used by the Native Americans and later mined by settlers.. The history of the petroleum industry in the United States goes back to the early 19th century, although the indigenous peoples, like many ancient societies, have used petroleum seeps since prehistoric times; where found, these seeps signaled ...