The Industrial Revolution—How Key Factors Led To Today’s Globally Connected United States
Leah Smartt
The American Industrial Revolution was one of the most important times for social and economic growth in the history of the nation. Within the blink of an eye, America was transformed from a largely agricultural economy to a heavily industrialized economy. Social classes became more noticeable during the Industrial Revolution—the poor were the poorest, the rich were the richest, and the Industrial Revolution brought about the rise of the middle, working class. Some of the greatest inventions ever made were developed and patented by some of the greatest minds. America was on the fast track to becoming an international superpower. Through the analysis of the changing social classes, new employment opportunities and new inventions being introduced, the Industrial Revolution paved the way for the globally connected lifestyle that we live today. Without the occurrence of the Industrial Revolution, we would still be riding in horse-drawn buggies and we would lack electricity, telephones, and live very different lives.
Historically there are two separate American Industrial Revolutions. The first one occurred around the 1790s to the 1840s while the second Industrial Revolution occurred around the 1870s to 1910. While both Revolutions generally follow the same principles, there are some differences. The first Industrial revolution dealt mainly with man-power and natural sources of energy to create small machines of great purpose. The first Industrial Revolution was confined mostly to New England. The second Industrial Revolution introduced electricity which was an important factor in factory production. The second Industrial Revolution was not confined singularly to New England. Factory work became more prominent during the second Industrial Revolution. Some scholars blend both Industrial Revolutions together to form a larger umbrella under which both Industrial Revolutions fall.
Before the 1790s, families lived in houses in the country where their neighbors may have lived miles away. Some families owned their own farms and earned their living through agriculture. A majority of the population of the United States lived on land they did not own themselves, but still earned their living through farming and tending to the fields. The land that they lived on was owned by aristocrats, who dominated the top of the social pyramid. The families that worked for the aristocrats in the fields were at the bottom of the social pyramid, far below the aristocrats. In the southern part of the United States during the Civil War era, the people who worked for the aristocrats were African American slaves. Soon factories were developed which led to more job opportunities. Families began to move to large cities and take jobs in factories. Aristocrats no longer dominated when factories went into full swing. During the Industrial Revolution period, Americans enjoyed their independence from the aristocrats that they had worked for in years previous. Americans, as well as the numerous new immigrants, believed that they were living better lives than they had previously. Factory workers did not have the best working conditions or the best pay, but they believed that their independence and living their “American dream” was worth the poor living conditions.
As a result of the increasing availability of products that factories produced, goods became cheaper and more accessible to everyone. The general public had access to newer materials, especially items like ready-made clothing that had not been readily available or affordable before the industrial boom. Increasing amounts of laborers, who were willing to work long hours for little pay, also reduced the cost of goods. The people who were able to purchase the new cheaper products became known as the middle class. Separation between social classes became more noticeable during the Industrial Revolution. Lower class persons were reduced to an even lower level because they could not even afford the cheaper products that the factories produced. It is ironic that the lower class individuals could not afford the cheaper factory products even though they were the factory workers making the products.
In a perfectly ideal society there would not be any separation between social classes, but one can see that the further definition of the different social classes during the Industrial Revolution is still evident today. The vast separation of the social classes may not be so noticeable today in the United States, but it is in other countries around the globe. Without realizing it at the time, creating separation between the social classes during the Industrial Revolution has connected the United States globally.
There were numerous inventions developed during the Industrial Revolution period that eventually led to other inventions that help the United States form global connections today. The oil and steel industries boomed during the Industrial Revolution. With the introduction of the oil and steel industries, inventors had new resources to use to create even more products to make a better American lifestyle. In 1774 Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, which was highly important in the southern United States in cotton farming. The invention of the cotton gin revolutionized the textile industry because it enabled the mass production of cotton. A Scottish inventor named James Watt invented the first reliable steam engine in 1775. The creation of the steam engine would forever change the transportation of Americans. Trains were essential in the Civil War, westward expansion, and the general transportation of people and goods from one place to another. Samuel F.B. Morse invented the telegraph in 1836 along with Morse code. The telegraph revolutionized communication because information was able to pass more quickly and with more accuracy from one person to another. The telegraph was instrumental in the Civil War. In 1844 the first sewing machine was made by Elias Hower and Isaac Singer. The sewing machine helped factories produce clothing goods and textiles in mass production. In 1876 Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone which made communication even easier and efficient than the telegraph. Thomas Edison is probably one of the most memorable inventors from the Industrial Revolution period. Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, the incandescent light bulb, and the motion picture. The Wright Brothers developed the world’s first airplane in 1903 and Henry Ford developed the first mass produced car, the Model T in the early 1900s.
Many inventions developed during the Industrial Revolution are still a huge part of the lives Americans live today. The cotton gin and sewing machine made it easier for clothing and textiles to be exported to other countries from the United States. The exporting of goods allowed the United States to form beneficial relationships with other countries which are important for us today. The steam engine allowed for the country to progress. Along with the cotton gin, the introduction of the steam engine to other countries allowed for better relations. The invention of the telegraph allowed for information to be easily accessible between the United States and other countries. The development of the telephone was highly important in the United States’ growth as a country. The telephone changed and grew and is still used by millions each day, and is one of the most effective ways of communication that comes from the Industrial Revolution period. The inventions of the Industrial Revolution paved the way for future technological discoveries and new ways of global communication.
Most importantly, the Industrial Revolution led the country to see its full potential. America could become the place where people wanted to live to achieve their dreams. The Industrial Revolution allowed for people to see the importance of connecting globally. Some of the more negative effects of the Industrial Revolution, like the further separation of social classes, turned out to be some of the most important aspects that influence our global connections today. Without the inventions of many great men, the country would not be as advanced nor a place for people to dream of living in. The Industrial Revolution has made the United States the globally connected country that it is today. The growth of America did not stop with the Industrial Revolution. The country is still growing, evolving, and changing today. Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “I do not look upon these United States as a finished product. We are still in the making.”
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