Uplifting the Race Through Domesticity

¶ … Civil War

Between 1865 and 1920, industrialization had diverse effects on the life of Americans. While it improved the life of Americans, it also created problems for the society. Following the civil war, the amount of city jobs and factory jobs increased. As urbanization increased, rural populations decreased. Steel production rates and education increased during this period. Transportation was made more available and easier with the growth of railroads. The American society was revolutionized (Oleson & Brown, 1976).

Major aspects of industrialization during 1865 and 1920 that influenced U.S. society, economy, and politics

Following the civil war, the U.S. embraced steps to become a more industrialized country. Between 1865 and 1920, the effects of industrialization were visible in diverse aspects of the U.S. society. One aspect of American life that improved following this period was steel production. The drastic increase in steel production is linked to new technologies in the steel making process. Another aspect of the U.S. society resulting from industrialization was the decrease in the unemployment rate sovereignty (Oleson & Brown, 1976). Large factories created employment opportunities for the unemployed to work and earn a living. Poor people were given chances to support their families, leading to better living standards for the average American (Banks, 2006).

New technologies in steel and iron production like the Bessemer process and open-hearth furnace, along with similar enhancements in sciences such as chemistry and greatly improved efficiency. New communication devices, such as the telephone and telegraph permitted business managers to coordinate across great ranges. Innovations also happened in how work was organized, like Henry Ford's development of the moving assembly line and Winslow Taylor's ideas of scientific management. For financing the large-scale businesses needed during this era, the Stockholder Company appeared as the prominent form of business. Organizations extended by merging into trusts and by creating single companies out of competitive companies, known as "trusts" (a way of monopoly) (Oleson & Brown, 1976). High tariffs protected U.S.' industries and employees from foreign competitors. The government grants enriched investors, farm owners, and railway employees and created hundreds of cities and towns. Companies often went to court to stop labor from organizing into unions or from planning strikes. Meanwhile, a stable flow of immigration motivated the availability of cheap labor, especially in the manufacturing and mining sectors (Dubofsky, 1996).

Contrary to the improved living standards, industrialization also widened the gap between the poor and rich. The poor lived in dilapidated homes unsuitable for human beings. Public perception towards rich people changed following the industrial revolution. The poor looked at the rich as shabby and cold individuals who did not accept those who are not well off like them. Another aspect that changed in the American society was the horrible working conditions in the industries, lack of labor because of child labor. Organizations such as the U.S. federation of labor emerged to improve the working conditions for laborers. Workers demanded improved safety and increased wages. Between 1865 and 1920, industrialization revolutionized the American society (Oleson & Brown, 1976). The American life changed to either extremes.

Groups that were affected by industrialization

The industrialization affected the larger society, as well as the individual people, too. Native Americans, in most individual's viewpoint, experienced the most adverse changes. New towns popping up and cities growing with mills, factories and other structures required for industry were taking land away from the Native American tribes. Some remained and fought to protect their culture while most were compelled to move to the west. After the railway was built and urbanization of the western states occurred and the Indian Removal Act was approved, which facilitated the advancing the Native Americans battle for sovereignty (Oleson & Brown, 1976).

During this period, the farm owners were presented to new technological innovation to make planting, cultivation and harvesting of crops easier. They used new resources and methods to increase food manufacturing and food quality. For instance, they used an innovation called seeds drills for planting seeds instead of doing it by hand. The industrialization had a positive effect on farm owners because it permitted them to do their job more effectively than ever before. Farmers also suffered severely from the effects of industrialization. Agriculture, like most other sectors in the United States presently, was becoming mechanized and commercial. Following this, less and less farm owners were required to put many of them out of work. Many farm owners were compelled to move to the city and seek jobs in factories (Oleson & Brown, 1976).

Up until now, it was unusual for women to have jobs outside domestic duties. With the availability of more jobs, women were moving to towns to work in the factories that were now in function. However, women were often exploited and received smaller salaries compared to men. Additionally, women were denied an opportunity for promotion and men occupied the positions of managers. These mills and factories have very often been dangerous and had dangerous human conditions. During this period, women were deprived the right to vote: it was around this time that the women's suffrage started to emerge as an issue. Consequently, it was progressively attained through the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920 (Johnson, 1993).

How industrialization affected the life of the average working American

With the rise of capitalism in the U.S. economy, competition permeated the industry because price-cutting took its toll while the economic decline outstripped growth. Industrialists resorted to the monopoly when opportunities could allow. As a result, a few huge firms practiced market control in some specific countries: meatpacking, coal mining, steel and iron, sugar refining and oil refining among others. The 1873-1879 depression became a serious calamity in cutthroat U.S. economic system (Banks, 2006). Large-scale sectors afterwards reduced output and thus supported dropping prices and income. Investment bankers practiced massive control in monopolized sectors, like the insurance market where monopolists negotiated political relationships that proved profitable.