HIUS 713 Blog 1 - Postbellum Economic Growth and Regional Development in the United States
Postbellum Economic Growth and Regional Development in the United States (1865–1900) The decades following the Civil War marked a period of intense economic growth and regional transformation in the United States. Between 1865 and 1900, industrialization, urbanization, and new infrastructure reshaped the national economy, yet regional differences persisted. To examine these developments, this study compares the economic trajectories of the industrial Northeast and the reconstructing South. Drawing on the *Historical Statistics of the United States*¹ and U.S. Census Bureau data², the analysis highlights differences in real estate, construction, and transportation as indicators of economic dynamism. By doing so, it reveals how entrepreneurial activity and capital investment fueled divergent yet interconnected patterns of growth during the postbellum era. This study employs both quantitative and qualitative data to understand postbellum economic change. Primary sources include Census ...