Hello Emarkley!
“The term ‘industrial revolution’ refers to the shift of an economy from one in which most of its production is agriculturally based to one based on the mechanized manufacturing of goods in large-scale enterprises.”
This causes:
– increased productivity and per capita incomes
– the movement of people from rural to urban areas
– substation of machine power for human labor in many kinds of work
The first industrial revolution began in England in the mid to late 1700s. Signs of industrialization were evident in New England beginning in the early 1800s but dramatic shifts did not occur until after the civil war.
Three major causes for the shift in the U.S.:
– development and improvement of coal-powered steam engines (1769), which was more powerful than former power sources being humans, wood and water
– mechanized ways to produce textiles
– coal powered furnaces that mass produced iron
The industrial revolution created a new class – the capitalists – the owners of the factory plants and other physical means of industrial production. Also creating a new class of industrial workers who were employed at these factories.
The industrial revolution took major roots during and post Civil War. “Congress in the 1860s enacted a series of legislative measure that encouraged industrialization and economic development, including new protective tariffs, banking reforms, and support for a transcontinental railroad.” Additionally, demands from the war stimulated the growth of industries to produce war time products. (18)
Post civil war was more of a 2nd Industrial Revolution. Two major developments spurred this change:
completion of national transportation and communications networks (canals, roads, steamships and railroads, telegraph, telephone) including the construction of a nationwide railroad networkuse of electricity as a source of power (major asset to urbanization)
Between 1860 and 1916 the percentage of city dwellers jumped from 10% to 50%
“Rapid industrialization raised the question of whether America’s republican ideals could survive in a meaningful way, whether industrial growth contributed positively or negatively to American’s society, and whether political and economic institutions needed to be reformed in response to the changes sweeping America’s economy.” (21)
Pros:
– labor saving devices
– more consumer goods
– skyscrapers
– declinging prices in industrial products
– opportunity for workers and capitalists
– growing population
– increased average life expectancy
– trend toward lower working hours
also, to read more about this, here is the website :)
https://eclipsetheatrecompany.wordpress.com/archive/2009-season/democracy/democracy-industrial-revol...
I wish you the best of luck buddy!
