Industrialization In The Gilded Age Essay

Before the structured labor society that we live in today, America was a very different working world; one plagued with injustice and grievances from workers across the job sectors. Two organizations, the Knights of Labor and later the American Federation of Labor acted as activists for reform and demanded better standards for working, living, and life for workers. Their strategies and success in achieving their goals were as different as the organizations themselves.

In a time when industrialization was booming, immigrants were racing towards the “American Dream”, and cities were growing towards the sky, the United States was thriving. As a country, the United States went from rural, to mostly urban, which made America “the world’s largest industrial power” as stated by John Green. Since the U.S. had become mostly urban, this left the very few rural workers (farmers), and even some of the industrial workers unhappy. This period of industrialization is called the Gilded Age than spans from 1865 to 1900.The farmers and industrial workers responded to the Gilded Age in significantly negative ways including unions against their authority, strikes and political

During the period of 1860-1900, there were many factors that helped to promote America’s industrial growth. With railroads increasing commerce, a large supply of necessary resources: coal, iron, and water, help from the supportive government, and a large wave of new immigrants it really was irresistible to not turn into a much more mechanized country. Once the 20th century was upon us, America was one of the greatest industrial nations in the World. Industrialization is what has led this country to be as successful as we know it today.

The Homestead Strike, which culminated with a day-long gun battle on July 6 that left 12 dead and dozens wounded, led to a wave of de-unionization.

In a time when America was coming out of the bloodiest war that was ever fought, against themselves, The Civil War, and when America looked overseas for a new frontier with Imperialism. It is in this context that America started to grow westward with farm land and in industry with the million of workers, but America still felt growing pains. Two significant ways in which farmers and industrial workers responded to industrialization in the Gilded Age (1865-1900) were the formation of organizations to protect farmers, and the creation of labor unions and the use of strikes to protect the workers.

The advent of the industrial revolution affected workers in many ways, some good but mostly bad. The age of industry brought with it changes in class structure. Workers were over worked, not fed enough, and had little to no health benefits. Some workers during the Industrial Revolution worked so hard that they often had to quit work and in most cases died. Some other unfortunate events was the growth of the urban poor, children switched from working on farms or in homes to working in factories, brick yards, and coal mines. The jobs became much more difficult to do and more dangerous to work at.

The industrial revolution affected farmers in many ways. One way it helped the farmers was the invention of many new big machinery. Right after the civil war, there wasn’t a need for slave labor. Instead there was machinery made, that was

Jessica HillisMr. GillardAP US History5 January 2007Essay 16: Gilded AgeThroughout history, certain periods of time have been given certain names based on thehappenings that occurred. Many have called the period of 1865 to 1901 the “Gilded Age”, be-cause it was “shiny and pretty” on the outside but it was “rough and ugly” underneath. The term“Gilded Age” was actually coined by Mark Twain who satired the Gilded Age with a GoldenAge. Politically, economically and socially the Gilded Age was truly a “Gilded Age”. Noteverything added to the “Gilded” effect of the time period. The “robber barons”, two major de-pressions and the labor unions (though not originally a bad thing) did add to the age.The Gilded Age saw the rise of Andrew Carnegie, John

The pre-Market Revolution was a time of labor-intensive work and strong-knit American culture. While many were fighting for individual rights from Britain, and splitting up due to the Great Awakening, others were working in a professional capacity. Jobs such as fishing, farming, building ships, and other manual occupations were performed by locals while small business owners, skilled workers, and craftsmen thrived in the colonial American economy. However, the nineteenth century was a different story. Known as the “Age of Progress,” improved technology was one of the major hallmarks of the century. Between 1810’s and 1860’s, American capitalists and workers had turned towards the innovations of the steam engine, power loom, and other new technologies

The 1919 World Series was a disaster that was waiting to happen. There were many aspects to the events of the World Series that were caused by the unfair treatment of the players and current world events. This appeared to be the height of the United States and life for many Americans was the best it has ever been. The economy was booming and no one had the thought of crime or corruption coming near them and their families. The art of baseball had been one of the first recreational activities that Americans could watch and play in their leisure time. Long gone were the days of farming and the labor that followed with sustaining that livelihood. Most Americans participated in the industrial boom that followed in the early 20th century. The events

The American Industrialization was in the late 1800’s making many things to improve the economy. The American Industrialization was caused by multiple factors, some of the factors included a growing population, a willing work force, high tariffs, among many more. These effects made people willing to work at lower wages so they can get jobs and buy American made goods. There were many outcomes of the Industrial Revolution, both positive, like improving people's lives, and negative effects, like exploitation of workers.

Samuel Gompers was an early labor leader, he was the first in his own union ,then later was president of the American Federation of Labor. He was president for continuously between 1886 and 1924, Gompers led the labor movement in gaining solid amounts for workers. He maintained a focus of view trade unionism, and believed that unions should concentrate on better collective bargained agreements and legislation affecting labor, while avoiding a large number social issues.

In America, many workers in the “Progressive Era” were experiencing more challenges than opportunities and were labor leaders came in with corresponding rights and wages. The wealthy elite having control of basically everything flourished during this time with their efficient modes of performance. Workers under the control of the wealthy elite were defeated with the lost of actual intelligence and unethical conditions. For labor leaders they persuade prosperous Americans by distrusting employers and to negotiate with them - the politicians - to pass their dominant values. With the workers ' frustration of their jobs, it only seems logical that labor unions would have been born.

Following the influx of immigrants in the late 1800s, many industries began to seize the opportunities for profit but left the question if the principle of liberty was still upheld. In the 2nd Industrial Revolution, workers suffered low wages, prolonged working hours, and unhealthy conditions. Despite the labor reform movements before the Civil War such as those to purify Lowell Factories, laborers were still reduced in significance against their corporations that only regarded the workers, ready for any job due to having no other choice. However, the growth of unions and strikes shaped the way that industry was going to become for the future. For instance, several workers were overworked often making them incapable of work. This incapability

The Second Industrial Revolution, which peaked between 1870 and 1914, was aiming to expedite the extraction of the gold from the mines, railroads had to be laid to reach across the land to the ports for global trading (Engelman, Ryan). This made factories call in more and more workers, and in 1880, five million Americans were industrial employees. (Lutz, Alexandra)