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Impact on the industrial revolution
Impact on the industrial revolution
Impacts of the industrial revolution in america
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Many people see history as a set of facts, or as a collection of stories. The reality, however, is that history is a fluid timeline. Each act of an individual or a group has an effect on others. Each moment in history is a building block that, good or bad, contributes to the stability of the next. This can be seen clearly in American history, as there have been several developments since the 1800’s that have played major roles on the growth of the nation. 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. The first key player in the American industrial revolution was Francis Cabot Lowell. In 1810, in Waltham, Massachusetts, Lowell was responsible for building the first American factory for converting raw cotton into finished cloth. Large factories were built along the river to house the new water driven power looms for weaving textiles. At the same time that more factories were built to keep up with the growing demands of the consumer, the numbers of immigrants to the United States grew (Kellogg). This new labor force could be employed with even less pay and provided with a much lower standard of housing. This in turn increased the profit margi... ... middle of paper ... ...ill appear in history texts fifty years from now or how the historian then will evaluate the work of our current and most recent presidents. We do know that for those of us living today, the daily actions and decisions of these presidents have a great impact on our lives, on the future of the United States, and on the world. Works Cited Breen, T.H., H.W. Brands, et al. America: Past and Present. Upper Saddle River NJ: Pearson, Print. Kellogg, William. American History. 3rd. Hauppauge NY: Barron, 2003. Print. Kennedy, David, and Lizabeth Cohen. The American Pageant. 15th. Boston MA: Wadsworth, 2013. Print. Tay, S. . Washington, George."Washington's Farewell Address 1796." Yale Law School Avalon Project, 2008. Web. 12 Sept 2013.
Eibling, Harold H., et al., eds. History of Our United States. 2nd edition. River Forest, Ill: Laidlaw Brothers, 1968.
Tindall, George, and David Shi. America: A Narrative History. Ed. 9, Vol. 1. New York: WW. Norton & Company, 2013. 185,193. Print.
Henretta, James A., Rebecca Edwards, and Robert Self. America: A Concise History.( Boston: Bedford, St. Martin's, 2006),
During the turn of the 19th century, the American economy rapidly switched from an agriculture base to one of the largest manufacturers in the world through Industrialization. This movement could be tied to the Gilded Age, or the time between the Civil War and WWI, where the rich were extremely poor and vice versa. The wealthier Americans during the Gilded Age were the poster children of the nation, the picture of American opportunity, and a large contributor to the spike in immigration to the United States during the turn of the 19th century. With developments in manufacturing, these wealthy citizens capitalized on the opportunity and became leaders during Industrialization, earning themselves the title of Industrialists. Industrialists during
Washington, George. "Washington's Farewell Address 1796." Avalon Project. Yale Law School, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014. .
Railroads opened new areas as settlement and stimulated the mining and manufacture. At the same time, the telegraph appeared. It brought uniform price of the country. Because of these improvements, many people migrated to west. The market revolution and westward expansion heightened the nation’s sectional divisions. The most dynamic feature of the American economy in the beginning of the nineteenth century was the rise of the Cotton Kingdom. But the increasing demand of cotton lead to larger number of slaves. For white people, westward expansion was a chance to get more freedom, but for black people, it means that they would have less freedom and their families will be broken. In the north, Market Revolution turned it to commercial system. Farmers focus on producing crops and livestocks. In some industries, the factory superseded traditional craft production. Both men and women could earn money by taking jobs from factories. Market Revolution changed the time concept of Americans. In cities, time of work and relax is divided clearly. Early New England textile mills largely relied on female and child labor.
Tindall, George and David Emory Shi. America: A Narrative History Brief Ninth Edition-Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. Document.
The years after the civil war left one half of America, the north, satisfied and the other half, the south, mostly dissatisfied. Therefore the last third of the nineteenth century, 1865-1900, was a time period in which America was mending, repairing, improving, reshaping, and reconstructing its society, economy, culture, and policies. Basically it was changing everything it stood for. This continual change can be seen in the following events that took place during this time. These events are both causes and effects of why America is what it is today. These are some examples: the reconstruction of the south, the great movement towards the west, the agricultural revolution, the rise of industrialism, the completion of the transcontinental railroad, and America's growth to gaining world power. All of these are reasons and events that characterize America as being an ever-changing nation.
The Industrial Revolution was the major advancement of technology in the late 18th and early 19th century that began in Britain and spread to America. The national and federal government helped the United States grow into a self reliant nation with improvements in transportation, technology, manufacturing and the growth of the population. Americans had an economy based on manual labour, which was replaced by one dominated by industry and the manufacture of machinery. It began with the expansion of the textile industries and the development of iron-making techniques, and trade expansion was enabled by the introduction of canals, improved roads and railways. One of the first to kick off, was the textile industry.
The Industrial Revolution in America began to develop in the mid-eighteen hundreds after the Civil War. Prior to this industrial growth the work force was mainly based in agriculture, especially in the South (“Industrial Revolution”). The advancement in machinery and manufacturing on a large scale changed the structure of the work force. Families began to leave the farm and relocate to larger settings to work in the ever-growing industries. One area that saw a major change in the work force was textile manufacturing. Towns in the early nineteen hundreds were established around mills, and workers were subjected to strenuous working conditions. It would take decades before these issues were addressed. Until then, people worked and struggled for a life for themselves and their families. While conditions were harsh in the textile industry, it was the sense of community that sustained life in the mill villages.
Later in the 19th century, factories needed hundreds of workers just to produce one item. Second, the jobs in mass production facilities required no skill, so anyone could apply for the jobs. As opposed to the agrarian age, factory workers performed simple, repetitive tasks over and over. The jobs lacked any application of knowledge or physical labor, which allowed the entire population to succeed economically in factories. Lastly, opportunities during the industrial age depended on one’s character and perseverance. As the jobs proved simple, the qualifications for success became determination and effort. Generally, lower and middle class citizens controlled their economic success because the factories required resolute workers, regardless of knowledge and skills. The industrial revolution provided economic possibility to the entire American population by creating accessible and simple job
America was a time of rapid growth for people all across the country. The Industrial Revolution began a few years after the Civil War with the invention of steam powered machines. From there, America faced a time of massive expansion and modern industrialized cities popped up across the United States. While there was much success across the nation, such as manual labor becoming easier and a huge population growth, the negative effects of industrialization outweigh the positives. A few of the issues that made industrialization an atrocious time for many was the racism and segregation towards immigrants and unsafe and unfair working conditions/the deprivation of a regular childhood for kids across the nation.
3. Divine, Breen, Fredrickson, Williams, eds., America Past and Present Volume II: since 1865 sixth edition (New York: Longman 2002).
Life during the 1800s in America was tough for everybody. There were rich factory and plantation owners that didn’t have much trouble but every farmer and his family worked themselves to the bone just to survive day to day. When the Civil War started, living conditions became far more difficult for every American. Civilian life in the North wasn’t nearly as dire as in the South. The Union blockades in 1863 caused food and supply shortages in the South. Southerners invented substitutes for coffee, tea, and other foods, which they normally imported from Europe. Many plantations switched from growing cotton to raising grain and livestock. In some states, cotton production was limited. Many men joined the army or were drafted while the women were left at home to work and support their family. During the battles that were near the towns there were casualties and plenty of wounded, and children would leave the safer walls of their homes to watch. Armies would intrude on farms, destroy fences, confiscate animals, and turn
There are many social, economic, political and cultural changes that have shaped American history from the 1400s to the end of the Civil War. Many events occurred between these time periods. Socially, America went from being undeveloped to developing quickly. Economically, America from hard times due from the rapid number of settlers to profitable because of the crops and goods America produced. Politically, America went from sharing a political system with England to creating a constitution directly for America alone, free from other rule. Culturally, America changed from using forced slave labor to freeing the African American slaves. These are only a few examples of the many that have shaped American history.