Week 6-Assignment | EssayIvy.com

After the America’s Civil War, there were dramatic changes in its industry. Machines replaced

manual labor as the major form of manufacturing, increasing the industrial production capacity

tremendously. There were new networks of railways enhancing distribution of goods nationwide.

More so, bankers and investors supplied huge amounts of money needed to expand the business

operations as well as facilitating inventors’ development of new products. Therefore, in

consideration of the economy, society and politics, the major aspects of the industrialization

during the period were technological advancement, entrepreneurship or emergence of business

opportunities and urbanization. The industrialization impacted on various groups including the

farmers, immigrants as well as women and children. Notably, it also affected the life of average

working Americans. United States was the leading industrial power globally by 1920 due to its

ideal conditions that promoted industrial growth. There were plenty of cheap labor, natural

resources, huge domestic market for consumption of the goods, efficient transportation and

government support. Industrialization impacted both positively and adversely on the American

economic, societal and political perspectives, however it was a great turning point that changed

human history and made the nation to evolve into one of the major industries today.

Three aspects of industrialization

Technological advancement

Technological innovations was the heart of America’s industrial revolution. Power technology,

steam engines, wind mills, and electricity were the major technological improvements that

occurred during the 1865-1920 industrial revolution period. The Steam engine was the key

technological advancement. Consequently, the textile industry was significantly transformed by

industrial revolution. Prior factories and mechanization, textiles were mainly made in individuals

homes or rather cottage industries. Hand to hand goods production was replaced by machinery,

iron and chemical producing manufacturing, steam and water power which thus facilitated

production. Under this system, workers had their schedules which at times proved difficult to

deliver the finished products to the merchants which always resulted in insufficiencies. The

nations such as Britain enacted legislations prohibiting the export of their skilled workers and

technology, but they had minimal success in this concern.

Entrepreneurship

Industrialization led to emergence of investors who responded to the new opportunities by

engaging in entrepreneurship activities. Entrepreneurs created startup businesses leading to

emergence of social classes of prosperous middlemen and wealthy industrialists. Additionally,

the white collar working class were expanded in the factories. The sharp contrasts between the

have and the have nots stirred prevalent discontent.

Urbanization

Following the creation of factories due to the industrial revolution, workers migrated to the large

cities where there were employment opportunities. The factory system was held responsible for

the migration of workers in large numbers from the rurals where they used to work on farms to

urban centers to work as factory laborers. The huge industrial growth resulted in increased

demand for labor, hence this was satisfied by the immigration. The majority of the immigrants

from settled in the urban areas. The increased urbanization caught most cities with

unpreparedness in meeting the rapid population influx. Hence, pollution, poverty, crime and poor

sanitation became problems that the local governments were unable to handle.

Three groups affected by the industrialization

Women and Children

Women and children were among the underprivileged during this era as they toiled in the mills,

factories and mines without sharing a significant benefit of economic growth. The working hours

were prolonged and the payments were lower as compared to those of others doing similar tasks.

This aspect showed that women were discriminated and thus gender equality was a major

problem. Also, the factories recruited children to these factories as the owners cared about profit

maximization and not the workers welfare. They employed underage children and paid less

wages for maximum gains. The working conditions were poor but due to the labor force that

outstripped demand, people had to withstand the conditions. This industrial revolution had

effects such as formation of Unions that advocated for the rights of children. These regulations

barred children under the age of eighteen from working until they reached the required age.

Moreover, women rights enhanced and compensated equally with men of the same job cadre.

Farmers

American farmers experienced hardships after the Civil war. In spite of advancements in

agricultural techniques and equipment increasing their production, middlemen between the

consumers and the farmers narrowed the profits enjoyed by the farmers. These middlemen

included the owners of the gins, mills and the railways took large portion of the money earned

from the agricultural products. More so, urbanization led to migration of small scale farmers to

the urban centers where they worked at the factories due losses in the market share.

Immigrants

Immigration increased following industrial growth in America as people were seeking for job

opportunities. Therefore, industrial revolution provided an opportunity for people to escape

poverty and join United States following improvement of transport system. Individuals came

from Europe, Germany, Ireland and France among other states. After reaching United States

many of the immigrants settled on permanent basis and America became home to many up to

date. Similarly, better economic welfare and wellbeing was another effect of industrialization on

the immigrants as their lives were improved. With employment opportunities, these individuals

were able to meet their basic needs and later on live a better and successful life. When

immigration labor was cut off, many of the immigrants migrated internally to the North and to

the West.

Effects of industrialization on average workers life

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