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Explore the Impact of Industrialization After the Civil War
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Industrialization after the Civil War
The immediate post-Civil War America witnessed considerable industrial expansion that led to significant changes in American society. To unprecedented levels, the American population grew increasingly modern, and cities expanded in population and size. Industrialization sparked waves of immigration to the US. The waves persisted between 1865 and 1920.
This paper explores various aspects of industrialization witnessed between 1865 and 1920 and its effects on different groups and the average working American. While the rapid industrialization after the Civil War improved American ways of life in various dimensions, industrialization also caused many problems facing American society.
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From Agriculture to Industry: America's Post-Civil War Economic Transformation
Before the Civil War, agriculture was the largest source of US economic growth. However, Stobaugh observed that the industrialization that followed the Civil War led to manufacturing replacing agriculture as the main source of domestic production. The consequence of this was a change in the economy. Large businesses became the new form of economic organization while new regions gained industrial significance (218).
Rapid Industrialization: Drivers and Consequences of Growth
As the industrialization rate grew following the Civil War because of factors such as expansion, technological progress and immigration, this was bound to have mixed results. From one perspective, this raised American living standards but widened the gap between the few ‘haves’ and the many ‘have-nots’ and encouraged political corruption. On corruption, the rising industrialization expanded the influence of businesspersons in the US political arena. The working class were the victims of the growing influence. Businesses could subdue workers’ strikes as the government sided with employers (Schultz 304).
The Rise of Labor Unions Amidst Industrial Conflict
Courtesy of the inequalities fueled by industrialization, a notable effect constitutes the rise in tensions between the workers, the business class, and the government. In their push for better working conditions, the only available option for the workers to advance their grievances was by establishing labor unions. Initially, tensions that arose due to the working conditions led to strikes that the government subdued. However, the conflicts from strikes promoted labor activism into national consciousness (Schultz 304). However, this increased the disintegration of the American society. This was because the business owners, with their resources, capitalized on the religious, ethnic, and racial divisions among workers to scuttle the influence of the emerging workers unions. For instance, employers hired both immigrants and native-born Americans of different backgrounds to exploit divisions and forestall workers’ unity (304).
Worker Disunity: Challenges to Labor Solidarity
Divisions among workers accompanied the immense rate of industrialization after the Civil War as labor specialization increased. However, in addition to the obstacles that the labor pool faced from employers, division among workers was another effect of industrialization that disadvantaged workers. Workers differed in terms of wages, job security and occupations. The highly skilled ones enjoyed better job security and higher wages, and the unions did not appeal to them. Furthermore, unemployed immigrant workers exhibited hunger for jobs, posing a threat to unity among workers (Schultz 305).
Societal Shifts: Urbanization and Waves of Immigration
Furthermore, the industrial expansion had a significant impact on the American society. As businesses actively recruited workers from the rural areas, the society changed from a predominantly farming society to an urban society (Stobaugh 218). Moreover, more changes arose as American society became more cosmopolitan because of the high immigration rates that accompanied industrialization. Millions of immigrants from Europe, Asia and Latin America entered the United States for economic opportunities (Healey 408). Over the period between 1865 and 1920, immigrants formed a considerable portion of the US society transforming the nation’s labor market.
Women Enter the Workforce: Changing Roles in Industrial America
Among the groups that industrialization after the Civil War affected were women, immigrants, and African Americans. Women experienced significant changes considering the roles they assumed in society before the Civil War. While women previously held no jobs and served as home caretakers, they began entering the workforce in large numbers. One specific group of women that was affected by the changed nature of work included single young women as they left their small-town and rural homes for work in cities. Different from the previous setting where daughters played crucial roles in the household, industrialization led them to assume the roles of wage earners. Another group of women whose lives were altered by industrialization included upper- and middle-class women. Courtesy of the timesaving devices made possible by industrialization, the leisure time for women increased. This prompted the women to be involved in forming organizations and seeking involvement in politics (Keller et al. 1127).
African Americans in the Industrial Age: Migration and Shifting Labor
After the Civil War, emancipation expanded the rights that African Americans had. However, industrialization affected them significantly. African Americans affected were those working in agriculture as developments in machinery displaced those working as sharecroppers. With farm equipment taking their jobs, they were forced to move to the North. However, they can be split into two groups. First, African American men moved from the agricultural sector to manufacturing work. However, this was not the case with females. Industrialization encouraged African American women to move from the agriculture sector to domestic work. Only a limited portion of African American women entered the manufacturing sector at the time (Aulette 70).
Immigration and Industrialization: Opportunity Meets Opposition
As aforementioned, the rapid industrialization after the Civil War prompted waves of immigration. At the same time, industrialization has varying effects on different groups of immigrants. Chinese immigrants started immigrating to the US in the mid-1800s following the California Gold Rush without encountering any legal barriers. However, the growing number of Chinese immigrants after the Civil War sparked resentment against them. They were blamed for the economic hardships that faced white workers and the hostility expressed to Chinese immigrants grew even nationally. This led to the enactment of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. This Act restricted the immigration of Chinese for 10 years. Furthermore, Chinese immigrants in the US could not secure citizenship (Powell 58). Another group of immigrants affected by industrialization were the Jews. As the specific immigrant groups were gravitating towards specific jobs, industrialization enabled the Jewish population to focus on the street-peddling trade and the garment industry without being discriminated against (Moore, Rock and Polland 13).
Daily Life for the Industrial Worker: Hardship and Adaptation
For the average American worker, the industrialization that was evidenced following the Civil War significantly affected their life. Considering the conditions they were forced by the employers, the conditions of the average worker deteriorated as they lived in overcrowded cities and would work for long hours with little pay. Apart from the working conditions, the living conditions of the average American worker declined with industrialization. With many migrating towards factories, the growth of the cities led to their overcrowding and consequent uncomfortable living conditions. However, on the positive side, industrialization lowered unemployment and sparked an increased level of education for average American workers. An average worker sharpened their skills to remain relevant in a rapidly changing workplace (Princeton Review 132).
Conclusion on industrialization after the civil war
The rapid industrialization after the Civil War altered numerous facets of American life and set the foundation for the progress and problems associated with the decades following the war. The economic foundations of the nation changed as it transitioned from agriculture to manufacturing. The industrial growth was a culmination of various factors. At the same time, it proved beneficial in enabling the US to emerge as a global economic power. However, several costs accompanied the industrial growth and the benefits were not evenly distributed. The disparities between the wealthy few and the working masses fostered political corruption and harsh outcomes in laborers’ working conditions. Ultimately, the industrial growth after the Cold War played a central role in forging a new America and determining the direction that the country followed and the position that it assumed for the rest of the 20th century.
Works Cited
Aulette, Judith R. “A History of U.S. Families with a Focus on African Americans.” Changing American Families. Allyn and Bacon, 2009. 53-80.
Healey, Joseph F. Diversity and society: race, ethnicity, and gender. Pine Forge Press/Sage, 2012.
Keller, Rosemary Skinner, Rosemary Radford Ruether and Marie Cantlon. Encyclopedia of women and religion in North America. Indiana University Press, 2006.
Moore, Deborah Dash, et al. City of promises: A history of the Jews of New York. New York University Press, 2012.
Powell, John. Encyclopedia of North American Immigration. Facts On File, 2005.
Princeton Review. Roadmap to the Regents. U.S. history and government. Random House, 2003.
Schultz, Kevin M. US History Since 1865. Cengage Learning, 2014.
Stobaugh, James P. American History: Observations & Assessments from Early Settlement to Today. Master Books, 2012.
This well-researched history paper has a clear structure of presenting both the benefits and drawbacks of post-Civil War industrialization. Academic citations reinforce key arguments and themes including:
- Urbanization and consequent social implications
- Working class struggles amidst industrialization
- The intersection of gender, race, and labor in shaping 20th century America
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