THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION IN AMERICA
The Industrial Revolution began in England and eventually spread to America in the late 19th Century. The Industrial Revolution led to a focus more on machine labor and factories from the previous home production of goods. America's economy would flourish as a result of the revolution and the revolution would change the social structure of America forever. Inventions that spurred the growth of manufacturing like the cotton gin and the spinning jenny, were an important part of the Industrial Revolution. They made it more practical to set up operations in a factory rather than a home as they had to be stream powered. Transportation was greatly affected by the Industrial Revolution. The risks, costs, and travel time of shipping long distances became lower as locomotives and steamboats were developed and perfected. Social change in the Industrial Revolution began as people began to move from the countryside to the cities to work on the factories. The industrial revolution has a lasting impact today because it changed the economic and social structure of America. The economy became more focused on supply and demand and the ultimate goal of making profit. The desire for more profits led to for efficient ways to produce goods to sell. This desire has carried over to the present day. Estates gave way to social classes whose success was based on achievement rather than birth. The social classes became structured on profits. A special social class arose, the middle class. This new class would become the focal point of future elections and modern day issues.
It's interesting to note how important the Industrial Revolution was in the Civil War. The North had a distinctive advantage over the South due to its willingness to embrace mass production in factories.
ReplyDeleteThe Industrial Revolution, like you said, definitely changed the social structure of America forever. I think it's also interesting to note that America took a while to become industrialized. The Industrial Revolution started in Britain in the 1790s and didn't reach America till the mid 1800s. This was due to America being a largely agricultural society with little interest in factories, America's lack of a consumer marker, cutthroat competition from the British, and a British monopoly on textiles. If these factors hadn't been present America may have become industrialized earlier, which would have significantly impacted the course of our nation.
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