Technological changes of the 1800s improved the life of Americans in mere decades dramatically. They went from relying on self-sustainment to mass-production and an improved daily life. Americans soon found themselves doing things that they had never before had imagined to be possible. They were able to communicate with other people over long distances and connected the states and rural areas with canals, feeling united as a country.
Today, most of our technological advances and changes have been for entertainment rather than out of necessity. Since we have advanced so much over the centuries, our technology is at the point in which we no longer need to invent new things but merely to polish and perfect what has already been
The nineteenth century America was a period of history following a number of long lasting wars and also a whole new start to new changes in society. With the collapse of multiple nations that were in contact towards the United States, it paved the way for the growing influence and development for the United States, spurring military imperialism and conflicts, and advances in scientific exploration and technologies. Because of the ideas and resources that were began to spread, develop and flourish in areas of the western hemisphere, the nineteenth century also saw opportunities in construction, communication, and in particular the transportation systems. But as different aspects of society began to improve and that more and more freedom were in the hands of the citizens and government, the competitive market not only expanded in profit and wealth, but simultaneously faced minor conflicts due to the abuse of their rights and property. Because of the rise of new technological advancements and resources, railroads in the 19th century American society quickly boomed cities and came across as the most dominant source of transportation, as it predominantly played a role in the expansion of industry across the United States. Also, it was a movement most efficient in creating their own monopoly and was quickly adopted by many other countries that sought influence.
This time period also saw many new inventions that would change American society forever. Such things as the telephone, radio, and television are things that the average present day American could not imagine living without. But a hundred years ago people were amazed at such things. Railroads were now able to bring people all over the country while steam ships could bring you all around the world and airplanes could let you fly. The horseless carriage turned into the automobile.
The Gilded Age was the spark of technical innovations and advance in America. Railroads, steel, kerosene, light bulbs, ac/dc electrical lighting, etc., were all innovations that lead to technical advances. Inventors or businessmen helped take the Gilded Age to the peek. Men impacted their time by creating theories, efficient innovations, faster transportation. Each idea was a step into the right direction.
During the 1800’s, America was going through a time of invention and discovery known as the Industrial Revolution. America was in its first century of being an independent nation and was beginning to make the transition from a “home producing” nation to a technological one. The biggest contribution to this major technological advancement was the establishment of the Transcontinental Railroad because it provided a faster way to transport goods, which ultimately boosted the economy and catapulted America to the Super Power it is today.
From 1865 to 1900, technology transformed the United States during the period known as the Gilded Age. During this time, the lives of the American people ultimately changed, for many Americans, including farmers, were able to share better food, yield more land, and help contribute to the overall standard of living. However, in order to attain a profit, farmers had the precarious responsibility of gathering the essential tools and crops to meet the nation’s demands. As a result, more raw materials, such as wood were being consumed in factories. In order to uphold the continuum of the vast growing nation, there was a demand for faster and easier means of transportation. Additionally, many foreigners sought America to be a very superior and prosperous land. The foreigners were men and women from various nations, also known as the Go-Getters, found new ways of living and vast amount of opportunities. Coined by Mark Twain, the Gilded Age became a symbol of America, as it expressed a false image of prosperity from the outside, but truly held an underlying corrupt background. Technology transformed the United States during the Gilded Age by the changing of American labor force, benefits of new inventions, developments in communication and transportation, and through great hardship and wealth.
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 United States was only a country for about 15 years before the basic way of life for people in the country changed drastically. We developed politically and economically, expanded westward and divided along sectional borders. However, these are not the only characteristics that define this time. 1790-1860 was a period of rapid industrialization, market revolution and changing social order. This was largely due to advanced methods of transportation, mechanization and the changes in women’s roles.
America had a huge industrial revolution in the late 1800”s. Many changes happened to our great nation, which factored into this. The evidence clearly shows that advancements in new technology, a large wave of immigrants into our country and new views of our government, helped to promote America’s huge industrial growth from the period of 1860-1900.
In the 1800s many innovations took place in America; however it was advances in transportation that changed America the most. At the start of the 19th century, there were no railroads or canals, making travel very difficult and long. Trading was also tough because there was no easy route to get to popular trading ports. Starting in 1812, the country was in a very good place and was in the process of rapidly improving. During this time, the steam engine also made an appearance in America. It helped with the invention of the steamboat, as well as the invention of locomotives. Advances in transportation during the 1800s completely transformed commerce, economic structure, the population density and had many other positive effects on America.
The radio revolutionised the way families spent time together and receive information. The movie theaters had an impact on how people forgot about the depression and made life seem better. Many homes in the 1920s also just got access to electricity while many homes were still lit by candle light, but became more prominent as the time period continued. Labor saving appliances of the 1920s made the household chores easy to accomplish than it used to be. The 1920s was enriched by many technological achievements that helped changed the way americans communicated, managed their health, and partook in leisurely activities.
Bountiful reforms took the United States by the neck in the eighteen hundreds. The beginning of the industrial revolution sent agriculture and manufacturing industries skyrocketing, as well as increasing the need for workers. The social structure of the country shifted as mass amounts of immigrants moved to the United States. The social, political, and economic changes of the eighteen hundreds made the United States the way it is today in the twenty-first century.
During the late 1800’s, there was a time of great change. This was near the end of the industrial revolution in America. Some of the greatest inventions were invented during this time. We still use most of the inventions today, they are just modified to fit the needs of America today. 3 of the major inventions and innovations that came out of this time were the telephone, typewriter, and the incandescent light bulb.
Throughout the 1930s, the American people were financially struggling because of several nation wide crisis, like the Great Depression, for example. The Great Depression was a dramatic incline in unemployment and poverty, caused by the Stock Market crash of 1929 (History.com). American people during the Great Depression were not only losing all of their money, but they also were losing the ability to afford enough food to survive. Approximately seven million American citizens had starved to death before the end of the Great Depression (History.com). At its peak, the Great Depression had left about 25% of the American population unemployed (Great Depression). Although the Great Depression was extremely depriving of America's economy and people, it lead to many technological advances.
Industrialization in the 19th century changed our nation. We became a modern, faster paced society with modern technologies. Women joined the work force and helped develop our nation. Cities grew and developed, leading to advanced transportation and high rise skyscrapers. Even farmers began to feel the improvement of the nation's economy. Industrialization had spread across the USA.
As one of the greatest times of production and change in the quality of life for all classes and members of society, the Industrial Revolution marked a turning point for humankind. Together, the industrial revolutions in both America and Britain not only altered the lifestyles of many, but also offered solutions to many questions that had plagued society for numerous years. Changes that occurred in the fields of medicine and chemistry still play a role in our everyday lives. These advancements not only affected 19th century industry, but also began paving the way for modern technology.