Age Of Reform Essay

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The Industrial Revolution began over two centuries ago and has had a major impact on every current world power. It began in a group of islands off the North West coast of Europe and has been imitated or tried by every nation looking to increase its wealth and power throughout the world. Industrialization came out of the basic ideas of capitalism because it fostered to individuals who were willing to take high risks in hopes of high returns on their investments. These investments included factories and machines that would be put to use by people to better their standard of living. These entrepreneurs would return their profits back into the expansion and improvement of their factories and machines. This method, included with the low wages being The ideas and beliefs throughout the reform movements greatly expanded the democratic ideals. Reform movements in the United States sought to express ideas through religion and education, start movements through abolition and temperance acts, expand beliefs by caring for the insane, and take a stand by speaking up for personal rights. The Age of Reforms was a period in which many changes were made to improve the way in which people lived at the time. In “Robert Owen, The First Disclosure on a New System of Society (1825)”, by Foner, Eric Voice of Freedom, “The increasing economic inequality and intense economic competition promoted by the market revolution led some Americans to create their own miniature societies based on equality and harmony.” (pg 227) Companies arise to the world of society, many of those companies own factories that manufactured and made useful natural resources. Also technology starts to play an important role in American life and on the future meaning that technological companies surged. All this manufacturing made by the factories that were owned by the companies promoted a general advancement. Owen now found himself in what would soon become the capital city of the English Industrial Revolution on the eve of that event as factories were built and textile manufacture expanded. The companies used business strategies to outsmart opposing companies. Successful businesses gave money back to charity most of the times, to show that success can be shared. Trade was also key and important for businesses.

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