It is difficult to imagine that the thickly populated Hudson River Valley region of today was sparsely populated before the Europeans arrived. The river is named after Henry Hudson, who explored the land that later attracted a large number of settlers from New England. Needless to say, Great Britain left a significant impact on the Economy of the Hudson River and its Valley in the 18th Century. The Valley area gathered much attention of both the Americans and the British. The Hudson River itself played a significant role in the quest for independence as the Americans used the river for transporting troops and supplies. The River served as a dividing line between the British and the Americans (Haynes 2016).
The economic growth in the US before 1820 was chiefly based on agriculture and commerce. The Industrial Revolution that started in Great Britain in the 1700s went on through the 18th and 19th centuries. The technology was introducing mechanical devices, and American workers reacted with uncertainty to those new machines, fearing their economic independence as stated by Sage (2005). Still, the American industry had to keep pace with the changing nature of economic life throughout the world. New England textile industry dominated the developments in the region.
Another important factor that influenced the economic development of the Hudson River Valley region was the transportation facilities over the bays, inlets, and rivers. New means of transportation was essential. British-built vessels and steamships captured much of the passenger traffic and Atlantic freight. The British vessels were stronger and larger and challenged the shipbuilding industry of America. Competition and new technology lowered fares and shipping rates. This enabled tens of thousands of Europeans to migrate to America. Regularly scheduled voyages via steam and sailing vessels soon became a normal part of the trade system. The foreign commerce grew rapidly because of the improved transportation system. Great Britain became the best customer and a leading supplier of the United States (Sage 2005). The rapid developing transportation system linked the region to southern and western market and led to an expansion of local and international trade plus higher domestic production.
Dutch settlers had established their settlement at the mouth of the Hudson River. Later, the tiny settlement yielded to the Royal Navy and attracted a huge number of settlers from New England. This led to waves of immigration, and the population grew in the eighteenth century. As a result, capitalism and labor changed the Hudson River Valley region with the new developments for the local natives and traders (Campbell 2008). More colonists arrived, and conflicts arose between the English and the French colonists.
Works Cited
Campbell, Jeff." USA." Lonely Planet 1.1 (2008): 1-1192. Print.
Haynes, Rebecca. "The." Explore The Hudson Valley's Rich History.” hudsonriver. 2016. Web. 14 Feb. 2016.
Sage, Henry J. "American Economic Growth 1820-1860.”. 2005. Web. 23 Feb. 2016
