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Industrialization

In: Historical Events

Submitted By kamches
Words 458
Pages 2
OLD ESSAY QUESTION
Historical Context: After the Civil War, the United States became a much more industrialized society. Between 1865 and 1920, industrialization improved American life in many ways. However, industrialization also created problems for American society.
Task:
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of industrialization to American society between 1865 and 1920. • Describe how industrialization affected different groups in American society.

Body 1 – Advantages of industrialization to American society between 1865 and 1920: Railroad helped spread goods, people, and ideas across America and to unite the entire country for the first time. Factories allowed for the employment of millions of people. Provided low skill level jobs to immigrants and gave them hope for a better life. Allowed for the mass production of products at very low prices when compared to goods made at home. This enabled people of various incomes to have access to products from tables to washing machines to cars that would not have been able to afford them before. Henry Ford’s assembly line revolutionized the speed of production. These same factories enabled the owners of companies to become very rich. Captains of industry like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller used their fortunes to build libraries, construct universities, and to help fund thousands of charities.

Body 2 – Disadvantages of industrialization to American society between 1865 and 1920: Monopolies / trusts – limited competition, inflated prices (ex. Railroads did this to farmers) - Social Darwinism – big businesses took over small companies, put them out of business - corrupted government (bought influence, controlled officials) Immigrants worked for very low wages, long hours. Kids forced to work to make enough for the family to survive. Several different families would live together in very small accommodations. Inner cities often lacked proper sanitation or fresh water to meet the needs of increasing number of people that flooded to cities to find jobs. Factories were very dangerous and filthy. Poorly lit, fast moving machines, no safety measures for people’s protection.

Body 3 – How industrialization affected different groups in American society: Muckrakers – exposed economic and political corruption (Ida Tarbell – History of Standard Oil Corporation, Upton Sinclair – The Jungle) Farmers – Populist Party, Grange movement, called for regulation of business / government reform (17th Amendment – direct election of US senators) Progressives – called for business regulation, redistribution of income (16th Amendment – federal income tax) Government - Actions and ideas of both groups led to the federal passage of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act in 1890 and the eventual passage of the Clayton Anti-Trust Act of 1914. Also, the Pure Food and Drug Act was passed to control food production, the Interstate Commerce Commission was created to monitor big business. President Theodore Roosevelt became known as the “Trust Buster” because he broke apart bad monopolies and controlled good monopolies.

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