Industrialization After the Civil War

Industrialization after the Civil War

Erica J. Horton

HIS 105 Contemporary U.S. History

Dr. Donna Reeves

February 07, 2016

Strayer University

The Industrial Revolution is defined as the entire changes in economic and social organization this was the replacement of manual labor with machines such as the power loom, and by the gathering of industry in large establishments. After the Civil War, Industrialization influenced the U.S. society, economy, and politics in ways that were good and in ways that were not. This process caused an increases in production capacity all over and affected the needs of everyone. Amongst the needs included food production and housing. This drastic change had a major effect on mainly immigrants, farmers, and the lower class.

Economy, society, and politics are the three major aspects of industrialization between 1865 and 1920 that were influenced. Economy was a major aspect of industrialization because of an increase in productivity. This increase was due to a system at which individuals worked from home, this was called the out work system. The second aspect of industrialization was society where occupations changed from farming to manufacturing. There was an economic growth within the economy from factories being built, the railways, trains and stores. The economy transformed society into an urban industrial state by the immigration of all groups of people. The change from an agricultural-based economy to a machine-based manufacturing caused the influx of population many cities. Also the average income and population began to display a groundbreaking growth. The third aspect was of industrialization was politics, which needed to transition but instead they steered toward the needs of businesses instead of those of the poor and working class.

Native Americans, the “New” Middle Class, and Immigrants are just three groups that were affected by industrialization. Native Americans were forced to move from their lands to make room for new factories and railways to be built. There was also a law passed against them called the Indian Removal Act which gave the president permission to take unsettled lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian lands within existing state borders. At the end Cherokee Native Americans were forcibly moved west by the U.S. government. Another group referred to as The “New” Middle Class received credence due to the increase of production and distribution through the factories that were being built. They were also giving more leisure time and an increase in pay. Immigrants were also so a group that was affected, these were those that migrated from the Germany, Ireland, etc. They worked in many of the factories for less pay and by them migrating to the U.S. it led to over-crowding, poor sanitation, and many illnesses.

Industrialization affected the life of the average working American during this period after the Civil War by many ways. The first way that industrialization impacted the average American worker would be that of the hand labor being replaced by machines in factories. Railways also made an impact because they made it easier and faster for people to move throughout the country, it also made it convenient and faster for businesses to import and export their goods. Other ways that this affected these working Americans are by improving living standards through an increase of income and the building and opening of more jobs inside cities instead of outside the cities had led to the improvement of many productions within manufacturing factories. Lastly, education was also affected by industrialization. With the influx of immigrants migrating to America and newly freed slaves, each and every one began to receive an education that was well needed (Shultz, 2014). Many did not speak English, therefore education was a necessity in order for them to learn the language and to be able to have that better life in America. This was in a way the same for blacks that had been in slavery. They were able to speak the English language but never taught how to read nor write.