Old Eagle Cotton Mill, Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, circa 1840
How did the 1st Industrial Revolution from 1820-1845
impact American culture?
impact American culture?
Introduction
America’s first Industrial Revolution was a remarkable time for innovation and growth. After the United States had won it’s independence in 1776, the nation began it’s process to grow independently. By the early 1800’s, many new technologies and advancements had been adopted and started to change the culture and ideas of the nation. It ended up impacting many aspects of everyday life and influenced how the nation would continue to grow as an independent country. Many of the advancements including innovations in steam power, the introduction of new tools and machines, or even the rapid growth of the textile industry, resulted in changes to everyday life for Americans.
New technologies affected many different aspects in life and required the people to evolve at the same rate the new technologies are being introduced. Things like machine tools, mass production and new forms of transportation not only affected how people thought or acted, it changed the culture as a whole. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, work forces had to rely on manual labor and didn’t have the luxuries of mechanical tools to make work more efficient. The introduction of work force machinery was acknowledged and appreciated during the time; “No longer ago than the middle of the eighteenth century, there was hardly a species of manufacture which did not depend principally on manual labor for the performance of most of its operations… Cloths of every description were made almost wholly by human force” (Improvements in Machinery, Pg 402). This shows how quickly things had changed in the United States and impacted parts of the culture, like common work atmospheres. By the early 19th century, there were many new machines and technologies that would soon impact the American culture.
The Industrial Revolution was a key point in American history that changed the culture of the nation and influenced growth and innovation. However, with many of the innovations came negative changes that would cause newly-found problems that were not present prior to the Industrial Revolution.
Culture can be defined as the traditional ideas and beliefs of a group of people at certain time and place. The developments in the first Industrial Revolution brought great change to the lives of Americans. These lifestyle and environmental changes caused Americans at the time to alter many of their traditional views on life. The labor force had been transformed to a place for women and children, and the unhealthy living conditions in cities became a significant issue. New forms of transportation stimulated the economy, giving people a new found freedom to buy various market goods. All of these changes show how the early Industrial Revolution caused a huge shift in American culture towards some of the ideas and beliefs we practice today.
New technologies affected many different aspects in life and required the people to evolve at the same rate the new technologies are being introduced. Things like machine tools, mass production and new forms of transportation not only affected how people thought or acted, it changed the culture as a whole. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, work forces had to rely on manual labor and didn’t have the luxuries of mechanical tools to make work more efficient. The introduction of work force machinery was acknowledged and appreciated during the time; “No longer ago than the middle of the eighteenth century, there was hardly a species of manufacture which did not depend principally on manual labor for the performance of most of its operations… Cloths of every description were made almost wholly by human force” (Improvements in Machinery, Pg 402). This shows how quickly things had changed in the United States and impacted parts of the culture, like common work atmospheres. By the early 19th century, there were many new machines and technologies that would soon impact the American culture.
The Industrial Revolution was a key point in American history that changed the culture of the nation and influenced growth and innovation. However, with many of the innovations came negative changes that would cause newly-found problems that were not present prior to the Industrial Revolution.
Culture can be defined as the traditional ideas and beliefs of a group of people at certain time and place. The developments in the first Industrial Revolution brought great change to the lives of Americans. These lifestyle and environmental changes caused Americans at the time to alter many of their traditional views on life. The labor force had been transformed to a place for women and children, and the unhealthy living conditions in cities became a significant issue. New forms of transportation stimulated the economy, giving people a new found freedom to buy various market goods. All of these changes show how the early Industrial Revolution caused a huge shift in American culture towards some of the ideas and beliefs we practice today.
Sources
Foner, Eric. "Give Me Liberty! An American History." Vol. 1. 4th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2005. 318-353. Print.
Foner, Philip S. History of the Labor Movement in the United States. New York: International, , 1972-1975. Print.
"Improvements in Machinery." The North American Review 0014.35 (1822): 401-20. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.
Larson, John Lauritz. "The Market Revolution In Early America: An Introduction." OAH Magazine Of History 19.3 (2005): 4-7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 May 2014.
Margo, Robert A. Wages and Labor Markets in the United States, 1820-1860. Chicago: U of Chicago, 2000. Print.
Pencak, William. "Cultural Change And The Market Revolution In America, 1789-1860." Journal Of The Early Republic 26.3 (2006): 498-502. Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.
Image: http://explorepahistory.com/displayimage.php?imgId=1-2-17C8
Foner, Philip S. History of the Labor Movement in the United States. New York: International, , 1972-1975. Print.
"Improvements in Machinery." The North American Review 0014.35 (1822): 401-20. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.
Larson, John Lauritz. "The Market Revolution In Early America: An Introduction." OAH Magazine Of History 19.3 (2005): 4-7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 May 2014.
Margo, Robert A. Wages and Labor Markets in the United States, 1820-1860. Chicago: U of Chicago, 2000. Print.
Pencak, William. "Cultural Change And The Market Revolution In America, 1789-1860." Journal Of The Early Republic 26.3 (2006): 498-502. Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.
Image: http://explorepahistory.com/displayimage.php?imgId=1-2-17C8