Industrialization had a profound impact in shaping the lives of Americans and th
ID: 3468473 • Letter: I
Question
Industrialization had a profound impact in shaping the lives of Americans and the communities which they lived during the late 1800 and early 1900s. Describe the events which led to the industrial revolution occurring in the US, the leaders of the industnies, the negative impact industnialization had on American society (women, children, blacks, immigrants), the gospel of wealth, the social gospel and the emergence of labor unions. Your answer should be thorough, well-thought out and be inclusive of the information covered in the book, videos and handouts. This question is worth 20 points Specifically, you will be graded for: 1) depth of information provided (covered all relevant and related topics and sub-topics in reference to the items) 2) conveying accurate ideas and facts (the information you discuss is relevant and connected to topics) 3) providing detailed explanations for the items to be addressed (demonstrated your knowledge of the materials not by listing or mentioning them but explaining them)Explanation / Answer
Of the many factors that led to the Industrial Revolution, two of the biggest and most significant were the Embargo Act of 1807 and the War of 1812. President Thomas Jefferson set the Embargo Act of 1807 during the Napoleonic Wars. During the Napoleonic Wars, Britain's navy had seized Americans and their cargo to help with their war. In the Chesapeake area, Britain's navy opened fire when they weren't allowed to search one of America's ships. At the time, America was neutral. Despite protests, Britain continued. Later on, they resorted to impressment, forcing American sailors into their army. Thomas Jefferson issued the Embargo of 1807 as a general embargo, restricting trade with all foreign countries, particularly Britain and France. He had hoped that this embargo would devastate Britain and France's economies because they would not receive American goods anymore. He had hoped this would persuade them to respect America's neutrality and stop impressment. However, the embargo did exactly the opposite. Britain and France's economies continued without any problems. They were unaffected by the embargo. The United States, on the other hand, was devastated. Its economy suffered. There was high unemployment, bankruptcy, and loss of profits. Lack of trade with foreign countries limited their lives because they had to live without many foreign products. With no foreign goods, the people of the United States had to resort to other options -- producing their own goods. Many factors led to the War of 1812: Troubles with Native Americans War Hawks British aid to Native Americans Impressment Foreign nations did not respect America Native Americans continuously fought with the Americans because of American expansion. Shawnee warrior, Tecumseh, and his brother began to unite Native Americans in order to stop American expansion. The United States could have taken care of just the Native Americans; they were a relatively small threat. However, when Britain provided aid to the Native Americans by providing them guns and ammunition, this was too much for the Americans. At the same time, around 1811, War Hawks began to take a lead in Congress. They favored going to war with Britain because of Britain's lack of respect for America. They wanted British soldiers out of America. They wanted them to vacate their posts. They wanted them to stop providing aid to the Native Americans and to stop the impressment of American sailors. All of these factors angered Congress and the people of the United States. After the war, everyone began to realize that the United States needed to improve. It showed that they needed a better transportation system and economic independence. Before the war, America greatly relied on foreign countries. Its economy could not prosper without foreign goods. After the War of 1812 and the lack of foreign goods due to the Embargo of 1807, America needed to manufacture its own goods. It needed to be able to support itself. It needed economic independence. The Embargo Act of 1807 and the War of 1812 were the springboard for the Industrial Revolution. The Embargo Act of 1807 forced the United States to manufacture their own goods because they would not be able to trade for foreign goods. The War of 1812 revealed the necessity for a better transportation system, economic independence, and independent markets. After both of these events, Americans began to produce their own goods. They began to think of innovative, efficient ways to improve the economy. They began the Industrial Revolution. One of the most significant results of the Industrial Revolution was the emergence of the middle class. As goods became cheaper because of the cheaper and more efficient production of goods, people could buy more of the good. They could buy everything they needed, and would have some money left over. The middle class was made up of managers, clerks, accountants, retailers, and anyone with a decent job at the time. The middle class had enough money to spend on leisure goods, rather than only buying what they needed to live. As mentioned previously, production increased exponentially. More factories were built as efficient machines were invented. With machines that could mass-produce and a plethora of workers, factories could now produce much more than they could have before. Transportation and communication were drastically changed as well. Transporting goods, which used to take weeks, even months, now took days with steamboats, roads, canals, and railroads. Communication, which also took a long time to pass, could now be sent back and forth almost instantly. There was no time-lag anymore. Everything took place at a faster pace. Lastly, as technology increased the efficiency of farming, farmers could now yield more crops than ever before. This led to a surplus in food. With more food, fewer people died of hunger. People in the United States began to live a little longer and population greatly increased as the number of deaths decreased. The Industrial Revolution afforded women new opportunities and at the same time exposed them to new dangers. Generally, women who worked during the Industrial Revolution did so out of necessity. During this time, many countries did not have welfare programs to aid the poor. Working was a matter of surviving. This was especially true for single women. While some women found jobs in domestic service such as being a maid or cook, many women worked in factories, mines, and other arms of industry. Textile mills, where fabric was produced, were popular places of employment for women on both sides of the Atlantic. In 1771 in Derbyshire, England, the Cromford Mill became the first water-powered cotton spinning mill. Women workers were critical to the success of this mill and others like it. On the downside;Women worked long hours - sometimes 80 hours a week - often under horrible conditions. Remember, this was before the days of labor laws. The factories could basically set whatever policies they wanted, and workers were more or less powerless to do much about them. Conditions were often unsanitary and dangerous. Men typically held supervisory roles, and with that sometimes came sexual harassment and forms of discrimination and abuse. Women were usually paid less than men, and they were not treated equally. Child labour increased.Young children were forced to work because their family had more bills to pay than when in the rural (country) areas. Due to time limit,remaining questions can be asked as another question,they will be answered,thankyou for your cooperation