The Industrial Era in America: How People Worked and Travelled

The Industrial Era in America: How People Worked and Travelled

The Industrial Revolution marks the universal phenomenon in the transition towards new processes of manufacturing within the 1760s and 1840s. Firstly, it began in the United Kingdom, spreading to Great Britain through mechanized textile production and later to Europe and the US within the 19th century. During the revolution, changes in manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, mining, and technology largely impacted not only the social but also the conditions of the economy in America. During the period, local trade expanded as a result of the building of canals, improved railways, and roads. Robert Fulton established the first steamboat for commercial use in 1807 that operated in Albany and New York City. Additionally, the proliferation of new routes of canals in the 1820s, steamboat technology proved to be crucial for local freight shipments in America (De Vries, 1994).

The period marked changes in labor where the labor system shifted to factories’ labor system. The period lasted up to the middle of the 19th century, and a massive number of the population in America worked in small scale agriculture. A small percentage of the American population worked in the industries while the government failed to expand and help the American industry. The latter is evident in the history of America with a proposal from Alexander Hamilton about the American School. His idea provided support to high tariffs that aimed at protecting the American industry. Later, the whig party embraced the proposal in the 19th century. Additionally, the plan also supported roads and canals to support the transfer of manufactured commodities in various parts of the country (Ashton, 1997).

References

Ashton, T. S. (1997). The industrial revolution 1760-1830. OUP Catalogue.

De Vries, J. (1994). The industrial revolution and the industrious revolution. Journal of economic history, 249-270.