In 1785, Thomas Jefferson said "Those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God" (Jefferson 1). These words helped shape America for the next hundred years. American families worked hard on their agricultural properties reaping the rewards of the American dream. Then, in the late nineteenth century, the United States of America was hit by the worldwide phenomenon known as the Industrial Revolution, and the U.S. was transformed into an industrial colossus. The vast lands of America made abundant resources available to those who wished to utilize them. This opened up new jobs, and the once agricultural families were, for the first time, split up; mothers, fathers, and children left their homes to work in factories and railroads. While it is undeniable the Industrial Revolution and all of its technological advances helped the Republic and its citizens flourish economically, the role it played in the breakdown of the traditional American family cannot be ignored. The women and mothers of the Republic during the Industrial Age were most significantly impacted by the Industrial Revolution. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, women would work alongside their partner in the agricultural fields which made it is easy for them to juggle childcare and work in the fields (Bailey 584). This allowed a certain sense of equality for women and men when it came to working. Once the Revolution struck, women would have to leave their children with a caretaker if they wished to work. Though society deemed they stay home and take on more traditional pursuits such as raising children, management of households, and the preservation of family values (Benteley 666). In order to encourage this value, women would be paid less money than men doing... ... middle of paper ... ... all, we must not forget there comes a time when a worker’s life and happiness is worth more than the hourly wage he is paid. Works Cited Bentley, Jerry H., and Herbert F. Ziegler. Traditions & Encounters: A Global Perspective on the past. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print. "Childhood Lost: Child Labor During the Industrial Revolution." Eastern Illinois University. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2014. Jefferson, Thomas. "Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia: Ch. 19." Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia: Ch. 19. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2014. Bailey, Thomas A., David M Kennedy, and Lizabeth Cohen. The American Pageant: A History of the American People. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. Smith, Nicole. "The Impacts of the Industrial Revolution on Families in New England & America." Article Myriad. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2014.
Men were considered as the breadwinner and women were supposed to do the household work and take care of children. But in fact, the Industrial Revolution in part was fuelled by the economic necessity of many women, single and married, to find waged work outside their home.
Bentley, Jerry H., and Herbert F. Ziegler. Traditions & Encounters: A Global Persepective on the Past. Ed. Jessica Portz. 5th ed., 2011. 290-295. Print.
At the beginning of the 1800’s most laborers worked at home. The family functioned together as a working unit for the common good of all its members. Children would stay at home to help until they got married. They usually did not become contributing members until they reached the age of ten. Girls started somewhat earlier because they would be assisting their mothers with the domestic economy(Gaskell, 91).
A huge part of the economical grow of the United States was the wealth being produced by the factories in New England. Women up until the factories started booming were seen as the child-bearer and were not allowed to have any kind of career. They were valued for factories because of their ability to do intricate work requiring dexterity and nimble fingers. "The Industrial Revolution has on the whole proved beneficial to women. It has resulted in greater leisure for women in the home and has relieved them from the drudgery and monotony that characterized much of the hand labour previously performed in connection with industrial work under the domestic system. For the woman workers outside the home it has resulted in better conditions, a greater variety of openings and an improved status" (Ivy Pinchbeck, Women Workers and the Industrial Revolution, 1750-1850, pg.4) The women could now make their own money and they didn’t have to live completely off their husbands. This allowed women to start thinking more freely and become a little bit more independent.
Kennedy, David M., Lizabeth Cohen, and Thomas Andrew Bailey. The American Pageant: A History of the American People. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. Print.
The 1800’s and early 1900’s brought about major changes to families and to the economy. People began to move away from farms and into cities where there were jobs. People began to rely solely on themselves rather than their extended families for support. As industrialization began machines began to take over work that was previously done by people. People found it increasingly hard to find work that could sustain their needs. People who were from vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, had a difficult time getting their needs met. People began to have a real need for social welfare programs that were beyond what families and communities could provide. (Morales, Sheafor, 2000)
Industrialization had a major impact on the lives of every American, including women. Before the era of industrialization, around the 1790's, a typical home scene depicted women carding and spinning while the man in the family weaves (Doc F). One statistic shows that men dominated women in the factory work, while women took over teaching and domestic services (Doc G). This information all relates to the changes in women because they were being discriminated against and given children's work while the men worked in factories all day. Women wanted to be given an equal chance, just as the men had been given.
Wolfe, Brendan. "Colonial Virginia." Encyclopedia Virginia:. Encyclopedia Virginia, 22 Feb. 2012. Web. 09 Feb. 2014. .
...entley, J. H., Ziegler, H. F. Traditions & Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past. Vol II – From 1500 to the Present. Fourth Edition. McGraw Hill, 2007.
The Industrial Revolution restructured the employer-employee relationship into an impersonal association exhibited by indifference to the quality of life of the worker. Children were especially exploited because they could be hired for lower wages and were made to work equally long days (Miller). Around the 1830s, children constituted about one-third of the labor in New England (Illinois Labor History Society). The conditions of workers as a whole necessitated action on behalf of the rights of laborers.
Pre-industrial labor mostly consisted of farming and agriculture involving the entire family. In 1823, 97 percent of all Americans still lived in farms therefore the rural population and workforce was much larger than the urban population and workforce. The production and growing of food was used by the...
The mid 19th century was an age of growth like no other. The term “Industrial Revolution” refers to the time period where production changed from homemade goods, to those produced by machines and factories. As industrial growth developed and cities grew, the work done by men and women diverged from the old agricultural life. People tended to leave home to work in the new factories being built. They worked in dangerous conditions, were paid low wages, and lacked job security (Kellogg). It is difficult to argue, however, that the economic development of the United States was not greatly dependent on the industrial revolution.
Imagine waking up at five in the morning to walk over a mile to a factory where you work until noon where you get a half hour break for lunch, then it’s back to work until nine or ten at night, when you are finally allowed to go home and you are only eight years old. Today that seems unimaginable, but during the early 19th century it was the everyday life of thousands of children whose ages range from as young as five until you died. During the Industrial Revolution many children were required to work dangerous jobs to help their families.
Without Labor nothing can be done in society it’s a proven fact that has been with us since the dawn of time. Many people at the time period were poor or struggling financially at the time. Most people like today need a way to “make ends meet or the bring home the bacon.” Supporting the family was, still is, and will continue to be a major factor of society in success terms. Many of these people worked in agriculture but many also worked in textile mills and also in factories, a very new part of life. Many went to work in the factories and mills for their high wages. Many people were treated poorly the more poor and desperate they were. Kids were especially treated more, in some cases kids would ask for seconds during lunch which was usually made by the owner of the factory or mill. When these kids asked for breaks or seconds they were given a harsh and even life-threatening punishment for asking. It wasn’t until 1803 when the child labor laws were put into place. This prevented kids from the dangerous work at the factories and also allowed kids the absolute requirement to go to school. However, this is only in the united States at that time frame of history. As a note to the reader the child labor laws weren’t even enforced till the late 1800’s and early 1900’s but even then it was a very controversial subject and remains that way today. A great example is that
Bailey, Thomas A., David M. Kennedy, and Lizabeth Cohen. The American Pageant: A History of the Republic. 11th ed. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998.