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Working conditions in England during the industrial revolution
The second industrial revolution research paper
Working conditions in England during the industrial revolution
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America’s Gilded Age, roughly between 1877 and 1890, was a time of expansion. Apart of the Gilded Age was the Second Industrial Revolution, and during this time America endured “one of the most rapid and profound economic revolutions any country has ever experienced” (Foner, 2012, pp. 586). Many people were affected during this time especially the working class, but the Industrial Revolution brought so many technologies and innovations which propelled a transition to a new economy (Atkeson and Kehoe, 2001, pp. 2).
Economic growth was dispensed very unevenly. Eighty percent of the population was the working class and only for a minority of these workers there were new found freedoms (Foner, 2012, pp. 594). Technical skill was now a factor instead of who owned what (Foner, 2012, pp. 594). For the rest of the working class, their economic situations remained a constant burden on their shoulders. Working sixty hour weeks, industrial workers had no pensions, no compensation for any injuries that occurred, and the possibility at any time that they could become unemployed (Foner, 2012, pp. 595). Having new machinery, and new inventions being incorporated into everyday life, workers whose talent could not compete with these were losing their jobs such as hand weavers (Effects of The Industrial Revolution). The conditions that these laborers were working in were tough with very hazardous situations. For example, “the process of purifying iron…demanded that workers toiled amidst temperatures as high as 130 degrees in the coolest part of the ironworks” (Effects of The Industrial Revolution qtd. Rosen 155). Not having any compensation for any injuries and these hazardous situations was tragic. While a minority of the working class had fr...
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...ally on people. Owed to all of the developments/enhancements to transportation, mass production of goods being transported all over the world was possible. Laws and regulations were coming about because of all the injuries due to the machinery which made the living and working conditions for people a lot better. A middle class was now emerging because of how much these innovations were improving the economy. Though the hardships that the working class faced are worth mentioning, the innovations that were created during this time outweigh all of that. It outweighs all of that for the simple fact that these inventions were created in order to decrease the hardships that many people were facing. All of this leads to improvements in transportation, communication, and agriculture. These are three things that America needed in order to be successful over other countries.
The gilded age of the United States is an extremely interesting era that generally gets diluted in the teaching of American history. However, this age was very critical in the development of many modern ideas and institutions we utilize today. Change and continuity are both prevalent in this time, but change is the primary element from 1877 to 1900.
The Gilded Age was a time in American history that came to be known as a major turning point for the country, as it marked the decline of an economy based on agriculture, and brought forth the rise of an economy based on business and industry. Following the Civil War and Reconstruction, it was a great time for change, especially for the economy. The economy improved, and at the same time, it granted more opportunities for inventors and businessmen to come out and share their talent with the the world. As America began to industrialize and make new advancements in technology, it also began to encourage the growth of the middle class and promoted the importance of social mobility and competition between businesses. The Gilded Age was a time when
In history, it seems inarguably true that when a nation advanced in power and wealth, changes will soon followed. These changes affected the political, economic and social system of that nation, and often came as an advantage for wealthy individuals, while detrimental to others less fortunate. An example of this notion can be seen in American History. After the Civil War and the Reconstruction Era, America quickly surpassed Great Britain in industrial production thus became the leading nation in industrialization. However, great things do not come without a cost; the rapid technological expansion in the US would initiate the crisis of the 1890s. The crisis of the 1890s was the shift from the rural and agrarian society to a modern urban and industrial society.
The exact period of time in which the Gilded Age occurred is ever-debatable, but most historians can at least agree that it started within the 20 years after the Civil War ended and lasted until the early 1920s. (West) The Gilded Age itself was characterized by the beginnings of corporations and corrupt political machines. Policies such as the General Incorporation Laws allowed business to grow larger more easily, and with less red tape involved. New technology allowed faster and more efficient production, but this explosive growth of industry called for not only more resources, but new business practices and leaders as well. (Moritz 10-12)
happening in the world, with more and more people just accepting the new social classes and not protesting their unfairness. This source not only helps us understand the living conditions of the time but also the change in society that occurred during the Industrial
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.
“Learn About the Gilded Age.” Digital History. N.p., 3 Jan. 2010. Web. 27 Feb. 2010. .
America’s large abundance of natural and human resources is what enabled the nation to develop so greatly in such a short amount of time. During the nations metamorphosis into the worlds industrial leader, the gross national product became eight times greater than after the civil war. New inventions also played a vital role in the country's industrial revolution. The technologies helped improve productivity, transportation, and communication. With the transcontinental railroad, refrigerated railroad cars, and the new air-brake system, larger amounts of various products could be shipped internationally at a much faster rate. A telegraph line was laid across the Atlantic Ocean, allowing the states to speak instantly with people in Europe. Railroads emerged rapidly and so did the scandals. Cruel, manipulative people dominated the country with their big businesses. Corporations came about, along with stock to raise money for them. The more money the corporation could raise through stock the closer they were to achieve economies of scale. Big businesses would sometimes come close to becoming monopolies that controlled the whole market. They were a rare...
In the late 1800's, American society began to burst with cultural activity. After the Civil War and the Reconstruction, Americans were eager to return to their normal lifestyles. The period that followed, however, was quite different from what the country was used to. During the war, many pushed hard for a rise in industry, leading to an explosive industrial revolution far beyond what people had expected. America's business and economy had boomed, and, as the new century approached, many had a new outlook on life. They were eager to escape the dull regiments of both the past Victorian era and the new urban lifestyle. This was easy for the upper and middle classes, both of which were growing due to the rapid increase in industry. It was great news for entrepreneurs and business people of the time, because there was money to be made in this desire for amusement. Of course, this was not the whole story of the new Gilded Age, but it was definitely an era of growing leisure time and the business that came along with it.
Expansive growth was the moniker that expressly defined the Gilded Age. Industry in all sectors, witnessed massive growth leading to the creation of an American economy. Due to the rapidly changing nature of industrialization, important men of both the public and private sectors attempted to institute their own controls over it. However, this transforming landscape integrated both economic and political changes, but also cultural and social interactions. In turn, those who controlled the flow of business would also steadily impact the American social scene by extension.
Transportation advances began a unification process across the country, both economically and culturally (Roark, 262). The United States finally started to take advantage of the natural resources of the land to benefit the economy. By having water powered equipment, the growth of factories mushroomed, but at the same time, caused a great issue with working conditions and the employment of women. Financing new ventures became an important facet during the market revolution. America’s money supply grew considerably, which led to increased investment opportunities.
The Second Industrial Revolution took place between 1870 and 1914, beginning as Ulysses S. Grant entered the presidential office and coming to a close in Woodrow Wilson’s first term. While the (first) Industrial Revolution in America is often considered as one of the most fruitful and dense in innovations in history, the following decades brought innumerable technological advancements, improving the many recently created materials and machines. Scientists made great progress in developing steel, the use of internal combustion engines skyrocketed, networks to transmit electricity were produced for the first time, and the introduction of interchangeable parts revolutionized the system of mass production. During these years, advancements were
America's economy had been at a steady pace but things began to change once technological contributions began to become part of the picture. This technological boom would become known as the Industrial Revolution. Once transportation had been invented the rest of America’s commerce would increase, leading to more ideas and inventions to help its economy grow. This revolution created a demand for goods making America’s production have to increase. With that said America would create more and more inventions that would take the place of a worker, opening up more jobs in order to create these machines. Pushing its production in trade America will soon grow wealthier and bigger due to these technological contributions. From 1818-1850 America was
But the Gilded age didn't only consist of new technological advancements it also consisted of State and local governments to build schools, colleges and hospitals also private ones were founded, often with support from local philanthropists. Another great advancement was the creation of the telephone. Many of these new inventions shape the future for us for example the telephone helped us communicate with other people from around the world. Like for us right now we cannot live without phones our lives would be nothing without the telephone. Another great advancements was the railroad it allowed us to travel much easier and much faster, it also allowed us to trade much easier. Now a days most thing are transported by train, airplane, ships. But back in the day they had to transport stuff by horse and wagon that’s what motivated them to create the railroad it made every day much easier.
Working shifts were beyond the control of the workers and the job was not necessarily stable because workers could be fired at any time for any reason (OI: “Working Conditions”). Moreover, the working environment was cramped and caused many problems to arise, such as the death of workers. The working class suffered greatly from the consequences of the Industrial Revolution. However, they also experienced many improvements in life, such as the decrease in prices of goods. The price of goods was able to decrease because of the increase in production.