Industrial Revolution in the USA.
The American Industrial Revolution is considered as the Second Industrial Revolution, which led to the creation of rural to urban society lifestyle. These happened from 1860 to 1914, which led to the invention of a large number of technologies. These include electricity, chemical industries, electronic communication and also the internal combustion engine among many others. Due to the significant inventions and innovations Vaclav Smil, a Canadian scientist and policy analyst, described the modern period as ‘The Age of Synergy’. Many great men remain legends of history because of innovations. For instance, Charles Babbage is recognized as the ‘father of the computer’ because he invented the first mechanical computer.
It was also in this period that the USA officially banned slavery among blacks. Blacks got recognized as citizens. Additionally, women had the right to vote. The numerous inventions and innovations led to significant improvements in society as compared to the first industrial revolution in England. Higher wages, improved standards of living and the growth of urban centres are among the many developments.
Moreover, companies primarily in the USA and Germany started to sell goods all over the world. The industrial revolutions and scientific discoveries rapidly caused changes in the social structures such as art and culture, architecture and also the lifestyle of the humans. Delving deeper into the social situation of the USA, birth rates were very high, and most families had more than ten children. However, their lifestyle was of inferior condition.
First, there was no form of electricity, as night rooms got lighted with oil lamps and candles. Rooms were ever filled with polluted air and unhealthy smokes because of oil lamps and cooking was by use of biomass and stoves. Untreated water used to cook and do other household duties. Social security was never present in the 19th century. However, after the introduction of Medicare, antibiotics and health insurance illnesses were easily treated. After the introduction of telephones, only nine were functional during those times. They were only used for communication among the government offices because of they of their scarcity. During this period, the agrarian revolution got transformed. Industries dominated urban society. National transport and communication network are some of the major sectors which developed. As more production activities increased, so made the demand for labour increase.
Adults and children were heavily engaged in the industries, coal mines and also the mills. These led to the rapid development of urban centres and even the population of people in the urban centres increased. This was because most people moved from rural areas to the urban centres to get jobs in the developing industries. Due to the increase in people in the urban centres, gas and water supply and the sewerage systems were advanced to meet the requirements of the urban population. The wages among the workers increased; however, there was a reduction in the cost of transportation and manufactured goods. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels challenged the capitalism system for its horrible conditions in factories. The system favoured the rich and made the poor more miserable. After, much research and the method of communism got adopted by most countries. The communism policy brought the idea of people owning land, mines, factories, railroads and also businesses.
Education was inferior as compared to the present days. In the earlier years school attendance was only for the elite and the wealthier middle class. Formal education was not of good quality as compared to the present days. The classrooms were very poor, the floors were dirty, rough plank desks and benches. The buildings were quite small, the ceiling walls and roof mostly made of sod, straw and mud. However, during the industrial revolution, an impressive transformation was enhanced. Better schools were built, and facilities were easily accessible. The secondary school enrollment and graduation rates generally increased. In terms of the curriculum, many inventions were implemented, such as the vocational courses, tracking and also electives. Due to hundreds of languages spoken in the USA, the Nationality Act in Texas approved English as the common language. The many advancements made it easier for many children to join schools. Thus as the years passed by school attendance became mandatory for all children because all the facilities were available and also higher institutions of learning established.
The Americans produced new machines used by industries and agricultural centre. The steam engine, which was invented earlier in the first Industrial Revolution, had been advanced during the second industrial revolution. Cyrus McCormick invented the harvester machine; it helped boost production in the USA. Samuel Morse invented the first electric signals, the most significant increase in the speed of communication over the telegraph. These marked the beginning of messages to be sent just within seconds and then linking was done among continents using the undersea cables. Textiles industry as not left behind, because Ser, an American mathematician, improved the sewing machine. Alexander Graham Bell worked on telephones, and by the end of the 1800s, there were more than one million telephones installed. Besides, the first human voice signal was transmitted through radio transmissions using the airwaves. It marked the beginning of using telephones using voice signals after it modified.
Other inventions include the typewriters with various keyboards, photography, carbon paper light, bulbs, Gatling gun and lastly, the first self-propelled underwater missile naval torpedo. With the help of mathematics and science, there were lots of scientific inventions which played significant roles in the various sectors of the country. In Industrial Revolution 2, iron and steel, coal and railroads were developed at the beginning of the period and later on at the end of the period chemicals, petroleum, paper and electricity were developed. In the development of steel mass, production of steel was in demand, especially in this industrial revolution period. These were made possible by reducing its cost, increase the scale and speed production of steel lastly, decreasing the labour requirements for steel making. The measures taken led to the production of close to 28 million tons of steel production. The steel was used to build buildings, gigantic bridges, railroads, skyscrapers, and also large ships.
Refined crude oil was produced because it was used in lamps to produce light. The development led to the production of barrels of oil in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, which later led to the creation of the Standard Oil Company. Petroleum production was also taken into crucial consideration because it resulted in using much more efficient and less expensive petroleum products such as lamps and heaters. In the development of paper, entrepreneurs first built the Fourdrinier paper machines and later fibre was extracted from the wood, which led to a new era of papermaking. Fountain pen and pencils were invented in the same periods; this made the learning activities much more accessible. There was no supply of electricity in the past. Thus inside the houses, was not only dark but also smoky because of the burning candles and oil lamps. However, the famous, Michael Faraday, established the concept of the electromagnetic field in physics. With the help of Humphry Davy, the use of electricity expanded quickly.
Not only did it lead to the production of electricity in households, but it also led to the development of the electric motor: electric railways and even electric elevators. Since power could be converted into other forms of energy, many factories operated 24 hours every day. Telephones, radios, conveyor belts, cranes and machines all were powered by electricity. By 1910, there was the establishment of hydroelectric power stations and also coal-fires steam generating plants. With all the developments and innovation made, the business sector was generally boosted. Firms were not only produced goods for one country but also considered producing and distributing their products regionally and the national markets. New financial institutions were formed, such as the stock market and financial institutions. Investment of houses also led to an increase in the collection of capital and especially in the urban areas.
Most corporations raised money by selling shares of stocks in the company, and the stakeholders received dividends. Trusts were also formed; this occurs when companies turn the control of their capital into a joint board of trustees. When the trusts gain total control of an industry, they get to control the price and quality of products. The many developments and growth of businesses led to rapid economic growth. Compared to the older economy, the new economic growth was relatively fast as the USA experienced a gradual increase in the real per capita growth. The state banking systems expanded quickly, leading to the rise in demand for credit. The banks, which were formed by the entrepreneurs, were primarily used to fund the agencies. A new economy in terms of steam-powered manufacturing also emerged. It was used to produce electric motor, the internal combustion engine and practical applications for chemistry. Thus by 1929, many Americans had access to electricity, indoor plumbing, automobiles, radios and also refrigerators.
The Transport and Communication field was also not left behind. With the large scale manufacture of steel railroads, gigantic bridges and also ships were built. America set a vital record in building ships which were much more efficient than the British ships. Steel production led to the building of ships which were more substantial, more powerful and faster than the wooden vessels. A steam turbine was also established, which moves at 63kilmoteres per hour. The Wright brothers were the first two pioneers in the aviation industry. They generally invented, built and flew the world’s first successful aeroplane for the first time. The internal combustion engine was used to run the planes. The first-ever flight lasted in space for thirty-seven minutes, but as time went by there were significant advancements made. Regular passenger air service was established, which later led to the development of airports and many aeroplanes. Up to date, planes are still considered the fastest mode of transport. Later on, motor vehicles were viewed as a source of transportation after wheels were established.
Communication also played a significant role, especially in the business sector, as long-distance orders were placed very quickly. Information concerning businesses was also important, especially to government, banks and even companies. Thus information was conveyed using newspapers as the invention of typewriters facilitated the opportunity of writing down crucial information. Presence of carbon paper made it even much more manageable as legible documents were made and the typewriters produced several copies. Guglielmo, an Italian inventor and electrical engineer, successfully commercialized the radio just at the turn of the century. High – powered stations on both sides of the Atlantic were built. Commercial service to transmit nightly news and summaries began. With the major complains of workers such as low wages, dangerous working conditions, and working for long hours labourers found the need to come up with organizations which majorly supported labourers.
The period between1820-1920 they defined America as a nation of immigrants. It was because many people from all parts of the world came seeking greater opportunities. These countries include Sweden, Russia and also the African continent. However, most blacks went to the USA forcefully. Most of the immigrants were unskilled, and the few skilled workers operated machines and supervised the unskilled workers. Labour unions were formed by workers to improve their working conditions. The Knights of Labor being one of the most important in the USA. The union demanded an eight-hour workday, abolishment of child labour and improved working conditions, especially in the factories. In terms of payment, it advocated for equal pay for men and women and also compensation for workers during an injury when they are at work. These made the workers feel much better and appreciated at their places of work. However, some companies and organizations never headed to the rules set aside by the labour unions. These resulted in the striking of workers and stoppage of work activities. It helped to convey their problems to the government.
These led to a global economic depression as many rail lines were bankrupt and also most workers became jobless, and those still in their respective jobs were cut off part of their wages. The railroad strike was the first general strike to ever occur in history which led to many other several strikes. The employers advocated for the conditions which were laid down by The Knights of Labor since most employers were not following them. It caused a lot of violence among the workers and the police force during the strike period. It resulted in many death, and many workers became unemployed. The economy significantly depreciated in the USA. During the Industrialization, there were lots of effects that arose, both positive and negative. The Industrialization developed political, ecological and cultures spheres of the world. The industrial and manufacturing industries were greatly improved especially by the use of iron and steel.
There were many numerous benefits of the American Industrialization process, especially when it came to the many inventions. Some inventions brought comfort in our daily lives; these include inventions of the elevator, electric machinery and also some consumer appliances. Transportation made it much easier for people to travel to all parts of the world. Shipping also supported businesses in terms of transporting goods across all continents of the world. Both the bulky and light good could be easily transported. Aeroplanes were used to transport highly perishable products and urgent goods. The ships in return used to transport the very bulky goods to other continents. The building of supermarkets, highways and also suburbs made life smoother. Sanitation was also crucial due to the hygiene of the citizens; thus, the construction of sewers came into place to take away the wastewater. These made the city a clean environment to stay in.
Many nations became productive during the industrial revolution. This was majorly after the invention of electricity. Most factories could produce commodities in less than 24hours; thus, production became faster and also they were sold at a lower price. This lowered the costs of the households for the ordinary people. Necessities of life were easily affordable due to massive production by the factories. Farmers were also able to repay their loans because the government had put in place tariffs reduction and graduated income tax. The invention and development of telephones and photographs led to faster communication. Furthermore, entertainment was also appreciated around the world because of the motion pictures made by the photographs. Through Industrialization, land ownership no longer became the primary source of personal wealth. Many entrepreneurs got to own large firms and create much more wealth as compared to the landowners.
The living standards were far much better as compared to the first Industrialization as many people got employed. The pay they received helped them gain access to improve their lives. There were also many advances in medicines and public health. These resulted in a great reduction in the number of infections and deaths experienced by many diseases. The research facilities invented such as the lenses, test tubes, microscopes, among many other instruments, enhanced more research to be done. With the invention of paper and pencil, many students got to learn in school. School no longer became for the wealthy people but all the children so that they get basic knowledge. Bigger institutions and colleges were also established for higher learning opportunities. The industrialization process led to significant changes which made life much more comfortable and better.
However, even after the many inventions and innovations, there were some adverse effects experienced in the process. Organizations were heavily burdened by their massive debts which resulted in a decrease in farm prices. The labourers were also exploited by most of the firms. They were forced to work for long hours, and afterwards, their pay was too little to cater to all their daily expenses. In instances of injuries, they were not compensated by anything. This caused major strikes by the workers, which resulted in violence by the police force and the workers. Deaths and economic depression were experienced among the workers. The people who resided close to the factories were exposed to bad living conditions. They were exposed to diseases such as cholera due to drinking unsafe water. The emission of polluted air was taken in the people who resided around the factories, making them vulnerable to diseases.
Due to the increase in machines, most workers did less work and thus were exposed to diseases such as heart diseases and also obesity. Children and women got fewer wages as compared to men. The gap between the poor and the rich also widened. The people who worked in farms decreased and the level of agriculture dropped drastically. The environment, on the other hand, was generally affected because of the high levels of pollution. It was during this period that fossil fuels increased and it caused further contamination of the environment. Global warming and climate change adversely affected the environment, and harmful pesticides were used to boost the production of agriculture. The cities became very dirty and dangerous because they were very crowded. Families got separated because the places of work shifted from home to factories. Lastly, the increase in machines led to the loss of jobs. Many women who lost their jobs took prostitution as their professional jobs. In conclusion, the Industrialization Revolution in America led to many positive as well as negative effects. However, the positive results are so enormous that it las led to the creation of a modern and sustainable era.
Bibliography.
Nomura, Chikayoshi, Chikayoshi Nomura, and KAWAKAMI. House of Tata Meets the Second Industrial Revolution. Springer, 2018.
Mohajan, Haradhan. “The Second Industrial Revolution has Brought Modern Social and Economic Developments.” (2019): 1-14.
Teich, Mikulás, Roy Porter, and Bo Gustafsson, eds. The industrial revolution in a national context: Europe and the USA. Cambridge University Press, 1996.