In the end of the nineteenth century, beginning of the twente , the way of living changed immensely from the previous years. This was because of the Machine Age. The Machine Age gave Americans a whole different standard of living during this time. Everything was changing, and Americans had mixed feelings for these changes. People were used to the way they lived, and they were unsure about these changes. They never seen anything like this before, and they did not want to give up their original standard of living. Due to these machines, the economy boomed more than ever. Unemployment went down due to the push of the automobile. The way society was viewed as a whole changed. The Machine Age consisted of the innovations of the telephone, automobile, …show more content…
and the airplane, and these granted Americans more freedom, communication skills, and easy transportation. During the twenties, communication became more common in towns and cities. However, people misused the telephone in the twenties. According to the article, “One Minute Please!”, “It is possible that the telephone has been responsible for more business inefficiency than any other agency except laudanum” (Robert Benchley). People in this time, especially in business had a difficult time getting used to this new form of communication. They thought the telephone was not as efficient as talking face-to-face. However, after civilians gave the telephone a few tries, they thought it was more efficient than any other form of communication. In “One Minute Please!”, the test also states “But apparently note-dropping is considered a relic of Civil War days and is not to be considered in the bustle of modern times. You must use the telephone, even if it doesn’t get you anywhere” (Robert Benchley). Some civilians preferred other forms of communication than the telephone, however everything else was being modernized. In response, people decided to modernize the way people communicated in the twenties. The way people communicated led to other great things, one being the amount of employment in the twenties. The machines changed the employment rate in the twenties. Through the development of machines, there was a need for more jobs in industries. The article, “The Worker Emancipated”, states “The machine has been the biggest factor in increasing the real wages of all men a hundredfold. And machines have given well paid employment to people of low-grade mentality who would in other days have lived the lives of brutes” (William R. Basset). The businesses had to keep up with this high demand for machines, so they hired any civilian no matter what their standpoint was. Employment also went up during this time because machines gave employees more leisure. In the article, “The Outlook for American Culture: Some Reflections in a Machine Age”, the author states “Machinery has made possible the payment of a higher wage for shorter hours and less drudgery…the common man enjoys today an amount of leisure undreamed of by his predecessors, lives, and brings up his family in a style which would have seemed to them almost princely…” (Aldous Huxley). Machines made life easier for everyone. Americans were able to enjoy life and not be stuck in a factory for endless hours. Civilians were able to enjoy life even more when the automobile was created. The way of life changed drastically when the automobile first was invented. Automobiles in the twenties were not fuel efficient. The were called “gas guzzlers” due to the amount of gas they consumed. Traffic was also a prominent problem in the twenties. According to “Model T and the Millennium”, “City life is at present very much more hazardous and constrained… It necessitates constant vigilance to avoid being run over and it has actually been slowed up by street congestion” (Edward S. Martin). Congestion on the streets became very dangerous to pedestrians and other motorists. In “The Billboard Curse”, the text states, “But the constantly increasing flow of motor traffic on our highways, the constantly increasing congestion in our towns and cities, the mounting toll of life from accidents…” (Walter Prichard Eaton). The automobile had a huge impact on society, and everyone wanted to purchase one. Henry Ford’s first car was the Model T, which was invented on December 2nd, 1927. However, it was not up to the American standards. The article, “Model T and the Millennium”, argues “Model T had to go because it was no longer up to the date. It was not pretty enough, it was not comfortable enough, and it could not go fast enough”(Edward S. Martin). The Model T costed so much to make that when it did not sell, employees lost their jobs. Also in the article, Leaves from the Notebook, it states “No one knows how many hundreds lost their homes in the period of unemployment, and how many children were taken out of school to help fill the depleted family exchequer [treasury], and how many more children lived on short rations during this period” (Reinhold Niebuhr). Henry Ford apologized for the harm he caused the workers in his company, but he began to plan a new model that gave everything that Americans wanted. According to Only Yesterday: An Informal History of the Nineteen Twenties “When Henry Ford shut down his gigantic plant, scrapped his Model T and the thousands of machines which brought it into being, and announced that he was going to put a new car on the market, the country had been in a state of suspense…” (Frederick Lewis Allen). Americans had no idea what Henry Ford would come out with to fix his failure with the Model T. When Henry Ford first invented the Model A, Americans were lined up outside the factory to get their hands on one. According to the article, Only Yesterday: An Informal History of the Nineteen Twenties, the text states “One hundred thousand people flocked into showrooms of the Ford Company in Detroit; mounted police were called out to patrol the crowds in Cleveland, in Kansas City so great a mob stormed the Convention Hall that platforms had to be built to lift the new car high enough for everyone to see it” (Frederick Lewis Allen). After this, railroads and trolleys started to go to the waste side. People were more dependent on the automobile than any other mode of transportation. To control the amount of traffic on the streets and highways, “red and green lights, blinkers, one-way streets, boulevard stops, stringent and yet more stringent parking ordinances” (Frederick Lewis Allen). The roads and highways became safer and less accident prone when signs were put up to regulate traffic. With roads more safer, Americans had more freedom to go wherever they pleased. The production of these machines granted civilians more freedom than in previous years. Life was more social due to people being able to get out of the house. In the excerpt from Babbitt, it states “The motor car enables us to visit places with ease that once were visited only with difficulty… it enables us to move faster, to keep a dozen engagements where we kept one before” (Sinclair Lewis). Civilians had the leisure to go wherever they wished. Before the automobile was created, Americans either walked from place to place, or they rode on the trolleys or trains. In the article, Prosperity: Fact or Myth?, the text explains“...the automobile… its power to determine social position, promises romance, adventure, and escape from the monotony which all too often characterizes modern life” (Stuart Chase). The automobile gave civilians the chance to see what America had in store. The automobile gave civilians more freedom. A new type of machine was established in the late twenties that Americans were skeptical on. Aviation was seen differently at this time. Americans believed airplanes were not as efficient as other modes of transportation. According to the excerpt, “Has Aviation A Future: A Debate”, the author describes “The freight of an ordinary train carrying a load of one hundred tons would require at least twenty or thirty large planes, while the dead-weight cargo of a moderate-sized tramp steamer carrying five thousand tons would require hundreds of planes and involve a long series of transshipments” (Capt. Alfred Charles Dewar). Civilians thought it was a waste for aviation, mainly, because they only traveled short distances during this time. Also, in “Has Aviation A Future: A Debate”, the text states “The fact remains irrefutable that in any question of transport in bulk, the plane is hopelessly outclassed” (Capt. Alfred Charles Dewar). The plane could only carry a few a thousand pounds when a train can carry triple that amount. Americans were not always fond of the machines created, and they never came to terms with the establishment of aviation. All of these machines had a huge impact on the way people lived, however there were positive and negative impacts of these machines.
One positive impact is the machines made the lifespan of people grow longer. People, during this time, did not have to do labor-intensive work due to the use of machines. Another impact is the hours of labor had decreased since recent years. Civilians did not have to work countless hours everyday. This granted more free time to spend with their families and friends. Another positive impact was machines helped to boost self-confidence and a sense of power in civilians during this time. These machines allowed people to explore the world, and with operating a dangerous device, their self-confidence increased. However, these machines also had negative impacts on society. One negative impact is the way the cities and towns got congested. After the automobile was released, streets and highways were so congested that no one could go anywhere. Another negative impact of the machine age was that mental illnesses were on the rise. Workers were not able to do hands-on work, due to the machines replacing the way they worked. There were several pros and cons to the machine age, but life would not be the way it is today without …show more content…
machines. The Machine Age granted many rights to the American lifestyle.
Life, during this time, was on overdrive. Everyone wanted to have an automobile and make a living. After the telephone was invented, civilians used a different way to communicate. At first, people were not quite sure about the telephone. Civilians thought the telephone should only be used throughout the business industry, but they changed their mindset. The telephone made communication during this time. It was less time-consuming and more efficient. People could now take a five minute phone call then taking double or triple the amount of time to write a note or letter. Communication was mainly based through the telephone. The automobile changed the way of living drastically during this time. Civilians wanted an automobile to make their lives easier. Before the automobile was invented, civilians had to walk or take the trolley to their work or any destination. Since the automobile was invented, the trolley and train services went to the waste side due to the automobile boom. The automobile gave Americans more freedom, and they could travel wherever they wished. Soon after, aviation was invented. People were not too sure about this invention. They thought it was a waste because the amount of weight the airplane could hold. The train could carry triple the amount of an airplane. The airplanes were not used as much during this time, but now they are used everyday to transport goods and people from place to place.
Overall, the Machine Age had a positive impact on society. Without these inventions, the way of life today would be extremely different than what it is like today. Americans would not be a technological society today, if it was not for the Machine Age in the twenties. These machines that were invented in the twenties gave Americans a push to invent more inventions that helped make life easier and more efficient. The way Americans live now is very different from the way Americans lived during the twenties. The twenties was the backbone for all the inventions civilians have today. The Machine Age helped to improve society and granted many freedoms during this time and now.
In contrast to this small town were the advancing views of America. The twenties continued to roar towards modernism. “Breakthroughs in technology, the increase in material wealth, and the beginning of an empire seemingly heralded the upward march of civilization, with America on the forefront” (Dumenil 6). In all directions, it was clear that America was moving forward. Transportation was a prime example of this advancement. Innovator Henry Ford introduced his “ Ford Miracle” to the public (Dumenil 6). Economies and the social values also began to advance. “Dubious get-rich-quick schemes and fads…contributed to a tone of feverish frivolity” (Dumenil 7). People began to lead fast paced lives with the desire to become rich, quickly.
the concerns facing the nation as it moved into the modern age. The industrial revolution sparked
The mid-19th century is one of the major turnarounds in the history of the United States. That is the time when America became an industrial giant and emerged as one of the most powerful countries in the world. The Industrial Revolution changed the people’s way of living in the whole world, especially the United States, from hand and home productivity to machine and factory. America rose from a rural and agricultural country to an urban-industrial that introduced new technologies. The United States has been through a lot of ups and downs in spite of its emergence and three books tell the story of the Industrial America from three different perspectives.
...ductivity shaped the development of the American economy in the 1920s. The nation’s industries shifted from coal to electricity. Mass production, electrification, and other innovations increased American productivity and established industries flourished while new industries developed. One of the most signigicant inventions during this time was the assembly line. This made hard work become less tedious and forever changed the lives of factory workers.
In the late nineteenth century known as the Gilded Age (or the Reconstruction period) and the early twentieth century known as the Progressive era, the nation went through great economic growth and social change. Beginning from the 1870s, there was rapid growth in innovations and big businesses. This could be because there was population growth and when there is population growth, there is a high demand of products and other necessities in order to strive in society. Many immigrants from Europe, mostly from the eastern and southern Europe, and Asia moved to American cities. Additionally, farmers from rural America desired to increase economically in society and since corporations ruled and political problems occurred, they decided to move into the cities. Afterwards, the 1900s started with the dominance of progressivism which many Americans tried to improve and solve the problems that were caused or had arisen because of the industrialization of the Gilded Age. It was basically the time when progressives fought for legislations like regulation of big businesses, end of the political corruption, and protection of the rights of the people: the poor, immigrants, workers, and consumers. Thus, between the periods 1870 to 1920, big businesses had arisen and taken control of the political and economic systems through corruption and innovations. In response, American citizens reacted negatively and formed labor unions and political systems to diminish the power that large corporations had in America.
The decade after the First World War saw tremendous change. Progressivism was a leading factor of World War I and in the 1920’s the evidence can be seen. Industries were making their products at an increasing rate. Products that were not populous before World War I were now used by millions of Americans. The automobile was only used by less than ten million of Americans and by the end of this post war decade that number has climbed to over thirty million. Also many new inventions were coming through making life for Americans much more comfortable. Radios, vacuum cleaners, irons, washing machines, and refrigerators were among the new necessities Americans just had to have.
Technology transformed the United States during the Gilded Age by the changing of American labor force. During this period, America changed into a more industrial society. Many Go-Getters sought the land of the United States very prosperous, and ventured in hopes of opportunity. The immigrants would soon shape the development of American labor in the latter part of the 19th century. The “four major trends—loss of control over workplace, labor con...
The 1920's were a time where North America became modernized. Whether it was the music, the culture or the growth in technology, this time era is known to most people as the point where America advanced itself to become a world renowned country. An advancement that will be focused on is the Ford Model T. During this time owning a car was a symbol of wealth. Henry Ford, the creator of the Model T, made a system that revolutionized the automobile industry as we know it today. Henry Ford made it possible for people with an average income to own a motor vehicle by creating the assembly line and the theory of mass production. "The horse, which had been the chief means of land transportation for 3,500 years, had given way to the automobile, and the country's largest industry had been born." (Gordon)
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 rising of the market economy occurred between the end of the War of 1812 and the Civil War. It was a time of uprising for Americans of the United States. There were changes in the vast improvement in transportation, the growth of factories, and there were important developments of new technology that increased agricultural production. Americans advanced into new areas and produced an agricultural surplus that went to market farming. In the nineteenth century, manufacturing was the most important factor because it brought about industrialization. The expansion of both economic and technological advances also brought about the changes in American society. The growth and eventual dominance of market capitalism in the United States changed the lives of all Americans fundamentally. The Market Revolution and the rise of market capitalism influenced the working class because of new inventions, like the cotton gin, and it encouraged farmers to raise more cotton in the South, and brought people in the North greater opportunities in the work field.
+++====In short, American life was altered by the Industrial Revolution, not just in terms of materials, and increased production, but in American standards of living, but of how people in America lived and worked together. The American public began to praise advancements of technology as signifying advancements in society. However, we must remember there were other social, cultural, and political consequences of the Industiral Revolution’s influence on American society; ones which lead to things such as unions, as well as concerns with the rights of the
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.
Although there are no specific dates for the start and end of the era, there was a noticeable modernization of American during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Between wars, riots, technology, politics, and entertainments, America was changing in many ways that many argue to this day were beneficial for America. Business, labor, culture, cities, and the Western and Southern areas of America modernized. In my opinion, there were both positive and negative impacts within those topics. The amount of businesses were increasing rapidly, and thus increased the average income for an individual.
On March 10th, 1876, a revolutionary invention was created by Alexander Graham Bell. The telephone was invented to send vibrations from one receiver to another electrically (History.com ‘Speech Transmitted by Telephone’ accessed on March 11, 2014), and due to Alexander Graham Bell accidentally discovering that he could hear the sound of a ‘clock spring twanging’ (Marry Bellis, ‘The History of the Telephone’ accessed on March 11, 2014), that was possible. The invention of the telephone permitted new levels of communication, allowed families connect around the world, and improved military systems, but also served negative consequences, such as breached privacy. If two people wanted to have a conversation, they would have to write letters back and forth, but with the telephone they were able to pick up the receiver, dial the number, and be connected in a matter of minutes. Telephones enabled long-distance communication, which allowed families to converse despite their location. Military officials and soldiers were also able to stay in touch through field telephones as well as keep contact with the president. Although telephones were originally placed in general stores or other major city locations and homes/neighborhoods that were wired (Elon.edu ‘World Changes Due to the Telephone’ accessed on April 2, 2014), telephones became commonly used in homes in the early twentieth century when telephones began to connect internationally.
The invention of machines became widely applauded during the agricultural revolution, which led to doubling agricultural economic activity every 1000 years. Then, there was the industrial revolution which led to the economic activity doubling every 15 years. This is where the fear of the future impacts of machines on mankind was raised. Technological development did not stop there. Cars replaced horses, typewriters replaced pen and paper, ATM machines replaced human tellers, and the list goes on. Are these developments helpful for mankind or just a mean to transform humans to greatly dependable creatures, not on their physicality and brains but on machines?