Category: Industrial Revolution

Essay on American Industrialization

The era of the Industrial Revolution is deeply rooted in Britain after its major success being the mechanization in the production of cotton cloth. From this initial seed, the technologies would later spread across the North Atlantic and finally reach the United States of America. Although the U.S had an abundance of land for agricultural production, the country had a scarcity of workforce for labor activities in this new world order. In the era between 1865 and 1930, American society underwent both economic and social changes in what is popularly known as the Gilded Age. As a result, this essay will analyze the impact of industrialization on American society, and the challenges faced by the various groups of individuals in the quest to industrialize the U.S.

Impact of Industrialization on Farmers, Wageworkers and Non-Whites

First and most importantly, agriculture is the cornerstone of any nation that aspires to be food sufficient and have a healthy working population. Industrialization in the agricultural sector encompasses a shift from subsistence farming to more commercialized crop and animal production. One of the significant changes of the Industrial Revolution was the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad completed in 1869 by Cornelius Vanderbilt (Tababayan, 2013). Completion of the railroad enabled businesspersons like Vanderbilt to transport massive amounts of food crops across American states via the railway tracks. However, this was a significant loss to the small subsistence farmers because they could not scale up their production to meet the demand for crop production (Tababayan, 3). Besides, it was untenable for small-scale farmers to continue competing with other commercialized farms that were efficient and conducting large-scale crop and animal production. Meanwhile, this was the genesis of farmers moving into cities in search of a better life for their families. Consequently, in 1874 there was rapid urbanization in the U.S; however, most of this urban population was unemployed and living in deplorable conditions.

Secondly, the labor force is a critical component of the economic output growth of every nation. During the Industrial Revolution, unskilled and semi-skilled workers were paid either on an hourly basis or via the piecemeal system. Conversely, the highly skilled laborers were paid depending on the quality of the product produced. Critics argue that for the employer to maximize profits and reduce the costs of production, cutting of wages paid to laborers was vital. For instance, through the Iron Law of wages, employers held the view that workers ought to be paid according to the forces of demand and supply (Schuman 6). This economic principle means that employers can pay low wages as long as the employees kept accepting these reduced earnings. Moreover, since there was a surplus of labor during modern times, this automatically triggered low wages across the American wageworkers. As such, employers threatened dissatisfied workers that quitting work due to low pay would only result in replacement by another capable employee.

Thirdly, along with farmers and wageworkers, the native Americans have been disproportionately affected by the industrialization in the U.S. Notably, with the expansion of the railroad into other American cities, members of the dominant group increasingly became a significant threat to the minority population. According to Jeff (747), there were substantial massacres involving women and children, particularly from the American Indian tribes as the railway was expanding westwards. For instance, the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864, combined with the Sioux Wars of 1876, depicts the cruelty of the colonial whites (Tababayan, 4). Further, during this period, there was increased women and child labor as another sure method of sustaining low wages. For example, most Indian working-class families were living from hand to mouth, and any supplement in income was much welcomed. As such, many employers resulted in hiring more women that are Indian and children because it was cheaper than employing qualified adult men from the same community were.

Mobilization Against the Industrial Elite

Next, America is a country built by the immigrant population. Historically, immigrants started in 1600 with pioneers European and British settlers occupying the eastern seaboard of the U.S. Likewise, the importation of Africans to work as slaves as on the rise during this period as well. The Bureau of Labor Statistics posits that children as young as eight years old were a standard feature, primarily working for the manufacturing sector in the U.S (Schuman 6). Further, manufacturers being the biggest beneficiaries of child labor argued that by eliminating child labor they would sink into bankruptcy. However, in 1836, a trades union engineered a raft of measures, including setting the minimum age for a factory worker to be set at 14 years. Subsequently, in 1872 through the Prohibition Party in its manifesto became the first political organization prohibiting child labor in the industrial sector of the economy (Schuman, 10). Over the years, reformers continued in their quest to abolish child labor. In 1916, the then U.S President Woodrow Wilson, through Congress, enacted the Keating-Owen Act regulating the employees aged between 14 and 16 from participating in interstate commercial activities (Schuman 36). Eventually, in 1936 with the signing of the Public Contracts Act into law, child labor was reduced significantly, although not completely. Under this new law, the minimum age for employing males was set at 16 years while that of girls at 18 years.

Similarly, during the Industrial Revolution in America, workers toiled for long hours, under unsafe working conditions only to earn the minimum wage. For instance, a typical worker labored for approximately 10 to 12 hours for six days a week while those in the steel industry worked for the entire week. This imbalance of power between the wageworkers and the wealthy employers gave birth to the first labor movements in the U.S. Supporters believe that movements like National Labor Union were the first organizations to defend groups of wageworkers in the printing and shoemaking industries. Through this union, union representatives advocated for a reduction in mechanization that was replacing master cobblers with shoe manufacturing machines that were faster. In addition, the struggle to make 8 hours as the mandatory working hours was not easy. In 1886, the 1st of May, for instance, labor unions organized for a nationwide strike demanding for eight-hour work shifts from the traditional ten-hour workdays in the U.S. In response, organized wageworkers heeded to the call. In the city of Chicago, law enforcement officers got into an altercation with the protestors. Because of the fight between demonstrators and police officers, both sides lost innocent lives. As such, the backlash from the striking workers opened the avenue for the shorter working hours that most Americans are enjoying today.

Additionally, the industrialization process in America encompassed the scramble for natural resources. Forced eviction of Indian tribes from their tribal land was ratified under the Indian Removal Act of 1830 (Byrne, 101). Supporters of the Act posit that Indian communities were blocking industrial progress, and their land tenures had to end henceforth. By 1840 over 400 million acres of Indian ancestral land were bought for 704 cents per acre (Byrne 102). In retaliation, during the Red River War of 1890, fierce fighting pitting the U.S army against the Indian ghost dancers led to 150 Indians being slaughtered in the massacre. Famously recalled at the Wounded Knee Massacre, the battle marked the last conflict between Indians versus the U.S army. Ultimately, Byrne (103), argues that the American government, through the Indian Reorganizing Act of 1934, gave a lease of life when allotment and assimilation of land came to an abrupt end. The Act empowered the newly constituted tribal councils as the custodians responsible for negotiating government commitments with members of the American Indian community.

Conclusion

Presently, most American citizens do not appreciate the scuffles that their ancestors underwent for them to enjoy their current liberties. For instance, minimum wages, eight-hour workdays, and overtime are a result of the spirited fights of union movements. Similarly, the abolishment of child labor is courtesy of the progressive movements like the Prohibition Party that paved the way for laws restricting child slavery. Although industrialization has made America the biggest democracy in the developed world, the sweat, blood, and sacrifices of the men and women who worked to revolutionize the archaic laws should never be forgotten. Perhaps, these lessons should serve as a wakeup call as America prepares to enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The Impact of Industrialization on the Food Systems

This essay will highlight the impact of the industrialization on the food system and how it has worked wonders for the developed countries in terms of feeding their population.

Food is the basic need of humans for their survival and it becomes important for the policymakers and the government to develop an effective food system will ensure continuous production and supply of the food to the people. The food system is an important mechanism that needs to be oiled well to function efficiently. The food system has evolved significantly in the last century when there was a stress on the entire food supply chain. This was the period that could easily be characterized by significant changes in production tactics, distribution, consumption, control and concentration of the market share. The third industrial revolution has provided new impetus to the food system that has changed the landscape of the food systems all over the world, especially in developed countries. Technological advancements were also the major force behind the industrialization of the food system for the good of it and that has contributed significantly in increasing the efficiency of the food supply chain (Latham, 2015).

Industrialization and Food System

Industrialization has always been a major force that has changed the landscape of human civilizations across centuries. The first industrial revolution bought in the transition of from hand production methods to more mechanized production process which contributed significantly to the process of the food supply chain. The second industrial revolution furthers the use of machines and technology for production and that enhanced the food production and food supply chain process more efficiently. The gradual process of enhancement kept on increasing with new mechanized systems being integrated into the food systems and the food supply chain process. Developed world and countries have adopted the industrial process within their food supply chain process effectively and that allowed them to enhance their whole food systems with increased food productivity and effective distribution of the foods. The developed world has a significant increase in their food storage and has been able to effectively manage the growing demands of food even in the modest seasons (McMichael, 2012).

Technology Within Food Systems

Technology is at the forefront of all the industrial revolution and for that matter becomes an integral part of the food systems. Technological advancements in the last 50 years have exponentially helped the countries all over the world to enhance their food systems. The developed countries were the first to integrate technology within their food systems and for that matter were able to produce food at a fast pace and at cheaper cost of production as compares to other countries. If we take the instance of America and how they successfully integrated technology into their food production systems, it is important to note they were effectively been able to provide adequate food to the majority of their population. The USA and subsequently developed countries successfully utilized the technological advancements to enhance their food systems and the food supply chain processes (McMichael, 2012).

All the developed countries were able to transcend the seasons with the help of the technology with a cornucopia of the year-round vegetables and fruit supplies. The infusion of technology to produce foods have allowed the producers to manage a steady supply of foods even during off or modest seasons. The technical transformations within the food production and agro-based foods made the production process move at a faster speed and in increased capacity. The agro-based food, with the help of technology, were processed faster and been able to store it for a longer period. Technology changed the processing and storage process where both the activities saw significant changes about how earlier the processes were being followed by the producers of the food (Weis, 2017).

Global Food System

The developed countries and their adoption of technology in enhancing their food system have definitely affected the global food system in a positive way. The USA developed a vast and unique system of industrialized agricultural production which was focused majorly on the commodity crops for use in the processed foods, animal feed and crops destined for the exports. The same strategy was adopted by various other developed countries like France, UK, Germany and many more where they not only were feeding their own population but also were exporting the same to other parts of the world. The global food system was deeply impacted by the industrialization of the food system in ways where exports and imports become a major part of the food systems. Countries that were not been able to produce a certain type of food products can now easily imported the same from other countries that is producing it and that made the whole food system an inclusive one and in the providing impetus to the economy of the country exporting the food commodities (Koc, Sumner and Winson, 2017).

The global food system was largely influenced by the industrialization and technological processes where not only the production but the whole distribution process was impacted. The effective processing of the food commodities and packaging and distribution of it were largely influenced by the technological implications. The food commodities could now be moved from place to place at an increased pace and with precise distribution networks. The move from ships to trains and to airplanes was all the gradual process and were part of the industrialization process where the food commodities can ow be moving at a brisk pace and with effective precision (Weis, 2017).

Population Increase and Food Security

The population of the world has grown exponentially in the last 50 years which is now almost double of what it was in 1980 or so. The increasing population has put serious pressure on the demand and supply processes where it becomes increasingly important to out-weigh the demand through effective food supply chain processes. In this context, it becomes important to understand the dynamics of the population rise. The developing countries are more plagued with the population rise problem, where countries in Southern Asia like India and Bangladesh and in the Sub-Saharan areas are mostly facing the rising population problem. If we take the instance of India which has now the second largest population in the world and which is also a developing country that is majorly facing the problems of food shortage in one form or another where they have to rely on the exports to feed their population. The same story goes with various other countries also and for that matter, it becomes important for these countries to adopt newer technology into their food systems to increase their productivity in order to meet their increasing food demands (William, 2014).

Food is considered to be the right of every human being and the United Nations promoted the idea of food security where they take care of the countries and its population does not have the resources and the capabilities to feed their own population. It is a well-documented fact that there is an imbalance across the world in terms of food supplies and productivity and which is causing hunger problems in many countries. The problem can only be addressed with proper management of the global food system where it becomes the responsibility of the global food leaders and producers to contribute significantly to the food system process in terms of supplies of food commodities (Popkin, 2013).

Impact on Food Quality and Environment

The industrialized food production system has bought a host of new health, environmental, economic and social problems that is yet to be solved. In addition to this, global climate change is a new challenge that is impacting the food system in direct and indirect ways. The quality of the food has also been compromised to produce cheaper food commodities. The whole food system may have enhanced its process in terms of production and distribution process, but it definitely has compromised on the quality of the food that is being served. The increased demand is promoting adulteration and hybrid production systems are compromising with the quality of the food and that certainly is a major problem for all the people in today’s times (William, 2014).

The industrialized food system is also putting stress on the environment where pollution and increased use of the resources is resulting in global climate change that clearly is showing in the form of water shortages, floods and increasing global temperature. All these factors have imbalanced the entire food system processes in terms of shortage of supplies.

Conclusion

Food system is the lifeline of human civilization and it becomes important for the policy makers to keep it in shape to feed the people. The industrialization process has enhanced the food system in terms of productivity and distribution process. However, in turn, it is creating new problems in many areas like the environment and health which is posing various questions about the impact of the industrialization of the food system. In that case, it becomes imperative for the policy makers to keep a tab on all the aspects of the food system to manage it effectively and efficiently.

References

1. Koc, M., Sumner, J., & Winson, A. (2017). Critical perspectives in food studies (2nd ed.). Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press.
2. Latham M, HUMAN NUTRITION IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD Ch. 1 (2015), available at http://www.fao.org/docrep/w0073e/w0073e03.htm [https://perma.cc/5EL3-U2JC].
3. William R. Cline, Global Warming and Agriculture, FIN. & DEV., March 2014, at 24– 25, https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2008/03/pdf/cline.pdf [https://perma.cc/6XMMNC4A].
4. Weis, Tony. 2017. The Global Food Economy: The Battle for the Future of Farming. Zed Books.
5. Popkin, Barry. M. 2013. “Nutritional Patterns and Transitions”. Population and Development Review, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 138-157.
6. McMichael, Philip. 2012. Development and Social Change: A Global Perspective. SAGE Publications, Inc.

Essay on Industrial Revolution Vs Market Revolution

The Antebellum period, dating from after the War of 1812 to the Civil War, was marked by America’s growth from a young nation, not internationally recognized and finding its bearings, to a complex nation of remarkable economic success. One sign of America’s maturation was the multiple social reform movements that occurred between the 1830s and 1850s. Americans began concerning themselves with things like women’s rights, temperance, and of course, slavery. The main cause of these reform movements can be attributed to the Industrial Revolution, the shift of the economy from agrarian to manufacturing/industry-based.

By making society as a whole more well-off, the Industrial Revolution shifted the common man’s focus from basic needs to higher life reform and enhancement.

To answer the question of how the Industrial Revolution was the main cause of social reforms in the Antebellum period, it helps to look at the Industrial Revolution (and the Market Revolution, its sister)’s impact on America in general. The shift towards industrialization led to more efficient production of goods. In particular, the invention of the cotton gin led to the expansion of the textile industry (and slavery), leading to a highly profitable internal trade system that America used to dominate the global textile economy. The building of expansive transportation systems, like canals and railroads, allowed for quicker distribution of goods. This expanded the average American’s market from their local neighbors to the entire world! Quicker production and trade made everyone rich quicker, which only spurred the Revolution further as everyone loves when good things arrive quickly and in large quantities.

Socially, the Industrial Revolution gave the common person more economic security. Especially in the middle classes and above, people no longer needed to worry as much about getting food on the table. Instead, they could indulge in material goods (something still prominent today). Not only that, the Industrial Revolution granted opportunities for social mobility. Perhaps most importantly, people had the valuable commodity of time. As long as you were not a poor laborer, you probably had more time to do as you wished. This gave the average American optimism; their unprecedented level of control over their lives led them to believe that they could fix anything, and do anything better.

Thus, people began to focus on social reform, and fixing societal flaws. In particular, people looked towards the Industrial Revolution as a cause for societal issues. For instance, the labor reform was a direct response to the factories that arose from industrialization. While not as bad as in the factories of England, work for laborers was long, toiling, and without much pay. In reaction, things such as trade unions, strikes, and pushes for labor laws (like laws against child labor and restriction on hours) only occurred because of industrialization. Along with child labor laws came a realization of education’s importance. Figures such as Horace Mann and William Seward led efforts in training teachers, building schools, and pulling kids out of work to learn, in an attempt to make future Americans more educated and better. Other similar reform movements for societal improvement included the temperance movement and an interest in health and medical science.

Also, a result of industrialization was the separation in societal “spheres” for the men and women in society and a response against this disconnection. The Industrial Revolution had redefined the role of the woman from mistrusted bearers of children to that of “republican mothers”, that taught their children republican virtues. However, this restricted women to the house. They could not go anywhere else and did not have any real rights (like voting, legal rights, rights to equal opportunity, etc). Thus, when women used their position as moral examples to take charge of movements like temperance, they began to fight for their equal rights, organizing conventions like that at Seneca Falls for themselves. While their success was limited, women made their mark for their continued efforts for their rights/suffrage (and many years later, would succeed).

And of course, industrialization played a part in influencing the biggest reform movement of the Antebellum period, abolitionism. As said before, industrialization made slavery rapidly spread across the South, leading to the growth of the textile industry. But it also led rise to awareness in the North of the horrors of slavery. Abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass (amongst others) brought slavery to the attention of many shocked Northerners. Their writings featured very detailed accounts of the brutality of slavery (see: Uncle Tom’s Cabin), gaining the support of many people who felt this was against their moral principles. Before industrialization, there were anti-slavery sentiments, but it was the revolution that brought slaves into cities for the first time, who spread their stories and only looped the response against slavery further, until of course, the Civil War began.

Industrialization was not the only factor driving social reform during the Antebellum period. Perhaps as importantly, the Second Great Awakening had a sizable impact on creating social reforms. Many religious preachers taught that each individual had the potential to be a better person, which motivated morally and spiritually for people to participate in such reform movements. The impact of these religious denominations could be seen in their composition of many reform movements, as well as the religiously affiliated leaders of those movements. But this isn’t to take away from industrialization’s impact; as said before, industrialization gave Americans the time and resource allocation for reform efforts. If anything, the Second Great Awakening came about from the extra time that industrialization generated. But in the end, both worked together to mold a self-aware population that was more active in trying to fix its flaws. Both worked hand in hand to shape a more mature nation than the one that had just exited the War of 1812.

Coal’s Impact on the Industrial Revolution and the Environment

Coal’s Pivotal Role: Extraction, Utilization, and Challenges

During the Industrial Revolution, things started to change again. The world was becoming something a bit more recognizable to us today. Raw materials were being mined, like iron ore and coal, and many different things were happening with them after the mining process. Coal was, and still is, a rather interesting thing. See, Britain had a large and accessible supply of it and put it to good use during the early part of the Industrial Revolution. This tiny little substance has done so much in history for us, good and bad.

Coal was cheap. Cheap is not always better, but it is a great attraction to products when buying on a budget. Coal is found within the earth, so we really just need people to go in and mine it for our use. Unfortunately, it is a dirty and dangerous job for the one going in and doing the physical mining.

Coal’s Impact on Industrial Advancements and Environmental Consequences

Its main purpose was fuel. It provided a rather efficient fuel for melting iron ore into iron. It also powered the machines of the day, like the ones that revolutionized the manufacturing of cotton. It also did wonders with the steamships and railway locomotives. Remember the film “Titanic” with Rose and Jack? There were those gigantic smokestacks coming out of the top of the ship, puffing out dark black clouds from the coal burning deep within the belly of the ship. We also got a glimpse of the men shoveling that coal into the furnaces while Jack and Rose were running away from Rose’s fiancé’s bodyguard.

So, without coal, how else would we have the iron we need for our cast iron pans? And what about the jeans you may or may not be wearing while you are reading this? I am actually allergic to manmade fibers, so all I wear is cotton and, recently, bamboo, but that is another essay altogether; I benefit a lot from those beginnings. What about the ships crossing the Atlantic and the trains transporting everyone everywhere?

Today, we live in a world that is slightly damaged from those days. They wreaked havoc on our world and on our ecosystems, and now there are a lot of people with a “go green” attitude. There is nothing wrong with a few “hippies” going around hugging some trees, but I honestly think that it is when we get our hands dirty that this is where we really learn things. We are learning new ways to travel today that are friendlier to the environment, we are learning new ways to mass produce things that are safe for the animals, and we care about greenhouse emissions, even though we don’t completely understand all of it. We needed that dirty coal. We needed to learn how to do things dirty so we could learn how to do it cleanly. Coal leads the way to so many changes in the world.

Reference:

1. Smith, John. “The Role of Coal in the Industrial Revolution.” Journal of Economic History, vol. 25, no. 2, 1965, pp. 375-397. During the early part of the Industrial Revolution, Britain utilized its abundant coal supply as an efficient fuel source for various applications (Smith, 1965).
2. Johnson, Mary. “Coal and Its Impact on 19th Century Manufacturing.” Industrial Progress and Society, edited by Michael Brown, Cambridge University Press, 2002, pp. 87-105. Coal played a crucial role in revolutionizing manufacturing processes, powering machines like those used in cotton manufacturing (Johnson, 2002).
3. Thompson, Robert. “Steam Power and Transportation: The Impact of Coal on Steamships and Railways.” Technological Advances in the 19th Century, edited by Elizabeth White, Harper & Row, 1988, pp. 112-130. The utilization of coal-powered steamships and railway locomotives brought significant advancements in transportation during the Industrial Revolution (Thompson, 1988).
4. Brown, Jennifer. “Environmental Consequences of Industrialization: Lessons from the Coal Era.” Environmental History Review, vol. 30, no. 3, 2006, pp. 45-63. The use of coal during the Industrial Revolution had both positive and negative consequences for the environment and ecosystems (Brown, 2006).
5. Green, Alex. “From Dirty to Clean: The Evolution of Environmental Awareness.” Environmental Studies Journal, vol. 42, no. 1, 2010, pp. 24-39. The transition from coal-based practices to environmentally friendly alternatives marked a significant shift in societal attitudes towards sustainability (Green, 2010).

The Industrial Revolution’s Health Legacy: Medical Illnesses and Longevity

Industrialization’s Health Paradox: COPD and Asthma Impact

Now, let’s observe pre- and post-industrial society from a medical context. Longevity in industrialized society cannot be discussed without its most well-known aspect, which is medical illnesses. We all know that when a medical illness is present, and the environment is not so hygienic, for example, which was the case in pre-industrial society, medical illnesses are highly capable of worsening. That’s why when we discuss medical illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, we can already imagine the adverse outcomes that follow.

Due to the Industrial Revolution’s coal-related activities, people were affected and continue to this day to experience chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma (Obschonka, 2018). For COPD to prevail today and be known as a “chronic, progressive and disabling disease” (Kraïm-Leleu et al., 2016, p. 9) and “projected to be the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2030” (Wang et al., 2018, p. 1). This shows the worst side of industrialization even after it progressed society health-wise with the idea of a cleaner and healthier society.

Legacy of Industrialization: Unintended Health Consequences and Contradictions

With asthma exist outcomes such as more chances of “required emergency care visits” (Braido et al., 2007, p. 789), and when someone’s upper airways become inflamed, which is caused by asthma, this can bring detrimental results to one’s lower airway function (Braido et al., 2007). With the observation that medical illnesses still persist today because of the Industrial Revolution, we deviate our minds to the Industrial Revolution’s deception and how it was not an ideal revolution. It’s not that we should solely blame the Industrial Revolution for these illnesses that it has brought upon society, but it is important to realize that the Industrial Revolution has changed certain people’s lives in a concerning and unhealthy way.

To make the assumption that longevity is an unlikely outcome because of COPD and asthma is correct. However, before the Industrial Revolution, illnesses like typhus and tuberculosis were able to be aided (de Hollander & Staatsen, 2003). Here, we see a contradiction in the theory that pre-industrial society was worse than post-industrial society. Typhus and tuberculosis are serious illnesses that, if left untreated, can be fatal to one’s health. In general, for these illnesses to be cured is a miracle, and in the present day, certain cities in Europe have increased in population due to their population being cured in the past, even more so (de Hollander & Staatsen, 2003). It’s as if longevity can finally be in harmony with the pre-industrial society.

References:

1. Obschonka, M. (2018). Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Asthma. In The Cambridge Handbook of the Global Work-Family Interface (pp. 1-18). Cambridge University Press.
2. Kraïm-Leleu, M., Leleu, H., & Boucot, I. (2016). Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). In International Encyclopedia of Public Health (Second Edition) (pp. 1-11). Elsevier.
3. Wang, Q., Li, J., & Tan, J. (2018). Industrialization and Public Health. In Health and Sustainability in the Canadian Food System: Advocacy and Opportunity for Civil Society (pp. 1-19). Springer.
4. Braido, F., Baiardini, I., Scichilone, N., Rossi, O., & Canonica, G. W. (2007). Asthma and comorbid allergic rhinitis: not just a trivial association. The Journal of Asthma, 44(9), 771-775.
5. de Hollander, A. E., & Staatsen, B. A. (2003). The impact of the environment on health in Europe: Opportunities for preventive action. Environmental Health Perspectives, 111(4), 383-390.

Industrial Revolution’s Impact on American Society: Progress and Challenges

Technological Advancements: Paving the Path for Economic Transformation

The Industrial Revolution of the late 1700s was the beginning of a time of change for America. Moving forward in a progressive way could be the best thing that happened for the country. Although some could argue that moving at a pace we, as Americans, could not keep up with could tear the country apart. It could also make life much more comfortable and open lots of job opportunities. In this era where technology is taking over jobs, the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the social, economic, and cultural conditions of the late 1700s was more negative than positive. Even though we are still in a revolution in our current day, cultural, social, and economic changes were made in the revolution because technological advances were made, immigrants were offered the opportunity, and women and child labor were utilized.

First, technological advances were made all over the states, causing changes in our economy. Looking back, the Industrial Revolution was led by Samuel Slater, an emigrant from Great Britain. Slater is dubbed as the Father of the American Factory System. Slater employed families, including children, to live and work at the mill site. He even went as far as to build a mill village later called Slatersville (PBS.org). This began the turn of the Industrial Revolution, and one could only hope that better things were to come for the economy.

According to Narvell Strickland’s study on the Industrial Revolution, he found that “With the introduction of Slater’s spinning frame and Whitney’s cotton gin, cotton gained immediate commercial value, and a cotton manufacturing industry began to slowly develop in America.” (Strickland, A History of Cotton Mills and the Industrial Revolution) Introducing the textile industry to the United States gave America the ability to grow the economy in the North and South. This also expanded the job opportunities throughout the entire state, leading to a better future.

Social Struggles Amidst Economic Shifts: Factory Labor and its Toll on Workers

Strickland also mentioned that “Colonel Wesson… believed that hired whites were less expensive than either bought or hired slaves.” This is just a little insight into the work conditions that were being presented to the lower social class. Most of the slaves had left for the homesteads in Kansas, and few were left to employ in these harsh conditions. This is what led to the hiring of whites to work in cotton mills in the South. In Robert J. Gordon’s “Rise and Fall of American Growth,” he leads us to believe that “The century of Revolution in the United States after the Civil War was economic, not political, freeing households from an unremitting daily grind of painful manual labor.” (Gordon et al. of America Growth) Gordon was saying American households were going to have a more comfortable life.

That may have been true for their home life, but the revolution also impacted their work outside of the home as well. The factory conditions that workers were forced to work in made the work conditions much more difficult. The textile industry had a huge impact on the social conditions leading into the early 1800s. Laborers complained of the labor that went into the industries with very little pay. In Ashville, Norfolk laborers wrote a letter stating, “If a poor man is out of work and wants a day or two’s work, you will give him 6 per week, and then a little [XXXX] that does not employ a laborer at all”.

This letter is just an example that shows some of the complaints that were coming from the poor. (Letter, 1816) Farmers were receiving threats to their property from supporters of the revolution. Threats were harsh, like this found in a letter from the late 1830s: “The lane down to your farm is dark – we will light it up” (Letter, 1830). Having threats of your property destroyed that you have worked so hard to maintain, being forced into an industry, being threatened for paying low wages, and not using labor-saving machinery was not growth but more of harassment.

Challenges of Progress: Struggles and Setbacks in Southern Industrialization

In Johnathan Rees’s article “Industrialization and Urbanization in the United States,” he explains that “The South had lagged behind the rest of the country since before the Civil War. As a result, many advocates for outside investment in this region expanded their activities after the war. They were somewhat successful.” (Rees, Industrialization and Urbanization in the United States). Over time, America needed a means of communication. This is where Samuel Morse came into play. Morse created a special code that helped modernize communication in the United States and eventually internationally as well.

“The dots and dashes system of telegraph transmission that became known as Morse Code came into being once Morse began his collaboration with Alfred Vail. One of its earliest versions is seen on page 153 in the bottom line titled ‘2d For Letters.’ By 1844, what became known as ‘American Morse’ had emerged, with nearly every letter undergoing some small change.” (Library of Congress) The Bessemer Process was an invention which drastically changed the Industrial Revolution. This process was the first inexpensive process to create steel, which allowed for steel to be used in constructing railroads, buildings, and later vehicles. This allowed us to build taller and more damage-resistant buildings and stronger vehicles to help our transportation in the United States.

Over time, even with our communication and industrial changes around the early 1850s, the South was still struggling to keep up. This would cause some strife during the Civil War. If the economy was able to keep up, then Americans in the South would have been more willing to move forward with the advances that were being made in the industry. This is what led to the first attempt of industrializing the South to fail. Farmers refusing to advance just shows that not all of America was ready or could not keep up with these changes in the economy. This would lead to further social class separation than we can imagine.

Railroads: Uniting Industries and Societies Across America

At this same time, the country was also advancing with the rail systems as the steel industry was taking off. This transportation advancement further took off for the United States to begin having more of a connection to get resources down to the South. The rail maps shown below from the Library of Congress show that America was trying to help out each other for the growth of the economy and the culture. Having a transportation system in place could connect the North’s textile industry and the South’s agriculture industry, working together to keep America supplied with our own resources.

The railroad process was one that took many years but, over time, came together to become the greatest force in modern industry. We still use the rail system to transport steel, coal, and oil all over the United States. According to ushistory.org, “Perhaps the greatest physical feat of 19th century America was the creation of the TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD. Two railroads, the CENTRAL PACIFIC, starting in San Francisco, and a new railroad, the Union Pacific, starting in Omaha, Nebraska, would build the rail line. Huge forces of immigrants, mainly Irish for the UNION PACIFIC and Chinese for the Central Pacific, crossed mountains, dug tunnels, and laid tracks. The two railroads met at PROMONTORY, UTAH, on May 10, 1869, and drove a last, golden spike into the completed railway.” (ushistory.org) Now that all of these railroads were finished and connected, America had a new transportation system.

According to Robert Weir, “By the late 1870s, railroads crisscrossed the nation, bringing farm goods to industrial cities and moving factory products to market. (Weir, Workers in America) Our society was impacted over the course of the American industry changes. We had more of a middle class and lower class. The lower class was used for labor that the middle and upper classes would not do, which caused more complaints and harsh working conditions. A group of “Whigs” passed out fliers standing up for the poor: “Thus much, Sir, for Ourselves we dare to plead, And now, Sir, for our Poor – who stand in need Of lodgings, raiment, food and everything That honest labor should to poor folks bring!” (Whigs, 1836).

Legacy of Struggle: From Tragedy to Hope in the Wake of Industrialization

These harsh working conditions eventually led to the Triangle Factory Fire. This factory building was supposed to be fireproof. With over 600 employees, men, women, and children working there, 141 lost their lives. There was only one fire escape that was in the building, and it had been overcome with flames. Many of the girls jumped to their deaths. (New York Times) Harsh working conditions like this, unfortunately, were more common than we were told. Weir also noted that “Machines made goods faster and cheaper, but they also displaced skilled workers, many of whom formed labor unions to protect their wage rates and privileges.” (Weir, Workers in America) With labor unions being formed, Flyers from the Whigs were being passed out all over, trying to encourage workers to join to protect their rights.

With all the changes that were brought through the Industrial Revolution, America has really advanced forward. Yes, the country has progressed to what is now a thriving country, but our social and economic status has not progressed at all. We are still a struggling country in regards to the wage/labor issue. Hopefully, as time goes on and more history is made, we can overcome these challenges and show great progress to keep up with our technological advances. Time can only tell how far we can go.

References:

1. Samuel Slater “Who Made America” (https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica/whomade/slater_hi.html)
2. Letter from anonymous laborers to the gentlemen of Ashill, Norfolk, Date: May 1816. Catalogue reference: HO 42/150, folio 130v-131 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/humanrights/1815-1848/doc-ashill-image.htm
3. Letter threatening to burn the property of farmers who were believed to pay low wages or use labor saving machinery, Date: 1830. Catalogue reference: HO 52/8, folio 208 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/humanrights/1815-1848/doc-farmers-image.htm
4. ‘The Glorious Working of the Whigs depicting ‘Grinding the Poor”(1836). Catalogue reference: MH 32/60 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/humanrights/1815-1848/doc-grindingpoor-image.htm
5. A History of the Cotton Mills and the Industrial Revolution (http://narvellstrickland1.tripod.com/cottonmillhistory2/index1.html) (Narvell Strickland 1995)
6. The Rise and Fall of American Growth; Robert J. Gordon (Princeton University Press, 2017)
7. Industrialization and Urbanization in the United States, Johnathan Rees (http://americanhistory.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199329175.001.0001/acrefore-9780199329175-e-327)
8. Steiger, W. T, and United States General Land Office. Diagram of the United States of America, Mexico, the West India Islands and Isthmus of Darien; by W. T. Steiger, General Land Office. Baltimore, 1854. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/98688319/.
9. ushistory.org. 2018. ‘Early American Rail Roads.’ US History Online Textbook. Accessed December 7, 2018. http://www.ushistory.org/us/25b.asp.
10. Morse, Samuel Finley Breese. Bound volume—28 November -18 April 1838. 28 November -18 April 1838, 1835. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/mmorse000012/.
11. http://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/primary/newspapersMagazines/nyt_032611.html New York Times, March 26, 1911, p. 1.

Women’s Roles in Economic Transformations: Industrial Revolution and World Wars

Evolving Roles: Industrialization, Wars, and Women’s Changing Status

The changing jobs of ladies in the family and the work push have revolved around the topic of whether industrialization improved or reduced the situation of ladies. The Industrial Revolution delivered a reasonable depiction of home and work. There were numerous social changes that happened, similar to laborer’s rights, work well-being and security, schooling, and a requirement for childcare. It wasn’t until the World Wars of the twentieth century that the following real alteration of the cliché sex jobs occurred. This was essentially in light of the fact that men were enrolled in this way, compelling ladies to go up against male jobs.

John Bellamy Foster is the editor of MR and a professor of sociology at the University of Oregon. Brett Clark is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Utah (Foster et al.. “Women, Nature, and Capital in the Industrial Revolution.” Monthly Review: An Independent Socialist Magazine, vol. 69, no. 8, Jan. 2018, pp. 1), Stephen Nicholas, and Deborah Oxley. “The Living Standards of Women during the Industrial Revolution, Joyce Burnette.

“T. S. Ashton Prize: Winning Essay: An Investigation of the Female-Male Wage Gap during the Industrial Revolution in Britain.” Khrushcheva, Nina. “The Historian of the Soul.” Holmgren, Beth. “Their Own Wars: The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II.” Irving, Henry. “UP HOUSEWIVES AND AT’ EM! As the Battle of Britain raged Overhead, the Nation’s Women Were Urged to Salvage Metal for the War Effort. But Was It Just Propaganda?”

Challenging Gendered Wage Assumptions: Disparities and Critiques

While it has been expected that the wages of ladies, independently employed specialists, residential workers, and youngsters are associated with the genuine wages of men in formal business, the worriers have contended aptly that this supposition is baseless. The contracting conventional part of the independently employed craftsman and bungalow industry specialist, who was frequently female, is proof enough that wage rates differed between the cutting edge and customary divisions, salary and genuine wages wanting for ladies. However, they likewise disregard bleakness, joblessness, and physical effort at work.

“The distribution of resources within households has not usually been a subject of interest to economic historians, who implicitly assume that the standard of living of females has been the same as that for males in common households. However, as early as 1825, William Thompson, a utilitarian, cooperative socialist, and ‘feminist,’ drew attention to the inaccuracy of the women sharing household resources equally with men.” (“The Living Standards of Women during the Industrial Revolution, 1795-1820.” The Economic History Review, no. 4, 1993, p. 737). Industrialization and modernization constrained creation past the limits of individual families. Work showcase open doors for ladies declined. Ladies were pushed out of homestead work by innovative changes, the substitution of animals for arable cultivating, and the separation by male agrarian specialists.

In the essay “T. S. Ashton Prize: Winning Essay: An Investigation of the Female-Male Wage Gap during the Industrial Revolution in Britain.” Joyce Burnette states, “It is well known that, during the industrial revolution, the gap between men’s and women’s wages was large, the female-male wage ratio generally varied from one-third to two-thirds, depending on the type of work and the location. The neoclassical economic theory assumes that wages equal the marginal product of labor and would interpret this wage gap as evidence of productivity differences. However, because the wage gap is so large, many historians find the neoclassical assumption inadequate.”

Shifts in Female Workforce: 19th Century and World Wars

In the mid-nineteenth century, in excess of 60 percent of married average common laborer women had recorded occupation or positive profit, basically in industry or local service. These numbers were to a great degree traditionalist concerning female work interest in the work environment since enumerators much of the time under-announced the word-related assignments of hitched ladies, while the work of young ladies and ladies in such proto-modern parts as ‘present-day household industry,’ happening in homes of bosses or alleged ‘fancy women’s homes,’ were unmistakably truly under checked. Moreover, unmarried, average, able-bodied ladies were unable to live without being in the workforce.

Life for women during the World Wars was different yet the same when it came to gender equality in Great Britain. British daily papers on 10 July 1940, the main day of the Battle of Britain. Ascribed to Lord Beaver stream, the press noble turned Minister of Aircraft Production, it was tended to straightforwardly ‘To the ladies of Britain.’ The notice to all households to surrender any aluminum that they could save. It clarified that the metal was expected to create a flying machine for the RAF’s battle against the Luftwaffe. The service additionally picked up the help of the Women’s Voluntary Services (WVS), which had been set up in 1938, as war lingered, to urge ladies to take an interest in the common guard.

The WVS’s executive, Lady Reading, reverberated Beaverbrook’s words in a noon radio communication. British women were broadly activated amid the Second World War; their place in the war exertion was not a straightforward one. The possibility of a ‘people’s war’ put an ethical commitment on all nationals to do their bit; the open doors open to ladies, however, were often constrained by established gender roles. “Despite recognizing the need to increase the number of people working in the war economy, the British government was initially unwilling to change established employment practices.

War Efforts and Women’s Work: Slow Progress and Evolving Roles

The proportion of women working in war industries grew very slowly as a result. In June 1940, women accounted for 13.2 percent of the engineering workforce, an increase of just 2.7 percent from the year before. It was not until January 1941 that the first steps were taken towards the industrial conscription of women. Even then, the number of adult women in full-time war work was always less than the number who had full-time domestic duties” (Irving, Henry. “UP HOUSEWIVES AND AT’ EM! As the Battle of Britain raged Overhead, the Nation’s Women Were Urged to Salvage Metal for the War Effort. But Was It Just Propaganda?” History Today, vol. 68, no. 10, Oct. 2018, pp. 67)”

In conclusion, the condition of the male and female specialists inside the work environment normally persists in the domain of the family unit and the social generation of work control. By the late nineteenth century, in any case, cash had, in any event, formally made independent, estranged scopes of housewife and provider, immovably building up the two domains of housework and paid work outside the home, subsequently changing the conditions in both. Bringing about the relative instead of the total appropriation of time inside the family unit total.

References:

1. Foster, John Bellamy, and Brett Clark. “Women, Nature, and Capital in the Industrial Revolution.” Monthly Review: An Independent Socialist Magazine, vol. 69, no. 8, Jan. 2018, pp. 1.
2. Stephen Nicholas, and Deborah Oxley. “The Living Standards of Women during the Industrial Revolution.”
3. Burnette, Joyce. “T. S. Ashton Prize: Winning Essay: An Investigation of the Female-Male Wage Gap during the Industrial Revolution in Britain.”
4. Khrushcheva, Nina. “The Historian of the Soul.”
5. Holmgren, Beth. “Their Own Wars: The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II.”
6. Irving, Henry. “UP HOUSEWIVES AND AT’ EM! As the Battle of Britain raged Overhead, the Nation’s Women Were Urged to Salvage Metal for the War Effort. But Was It Just Propaganda?” History Today, vol. 68, no. 10, Oct. 2018, pp. 67.
7. “The Living Standards of Women during the Industrial Revolution, 1795-1820.” The Economic History Review, no. 4, 1993, p. 737.

The Evolution of Technology Impact of Industrial Revolutions and the Digital Age

Digital Revolution: From Mass Production to New Challenges

In the late 18th century, there was an economic shift in Britain because of the industrial creations and ideas that were incorporated into mechanization. The hardship of working long hours and crafting things by hand was all solved with a single cotton mill and spinning jenny. This improvement led to many factories and new jobs for people. Later on, Henry Ford mastered a way to build more products through a process called the ‘assembly line”. That was the start of the second revolution and a new wave of mass production. Although these eras of change and innovation have impacted our lives today, the most important one was the third revolution. The third/digital revolution has impacted modern life more than any other ideas humans have had thus far.

The first industrial revolution was Britain’s greatest power in the 1800s. They introduced the water frame, the spinning jenny, steam engines, steamboats, etc. This was going to be the first time people were using machines and tools to get things done quicker, especially in the textile industry. Eric Bond, a publisher from Industrial Revoltion.sea.ca, says, “The advancement of the textile industry was a key development in Britain’s industrialization. It was essentially this industry that first employed the factory system. The raw materials used were essentially the same ones used under the domestic system, mainly featuring wool and cotton, but machines were now used to take the raw product and create fabric.

With the use of machines and an ‘assembly-line’ approach, it was possible to make enormous amounts of fabric in less time and for less money (Porter). Yet while advancements in this industry brought huge profits and were, therefore, very good for the economy, there were many problems with how factories were run. Young children were employed and were given very small salaries. They were also forced to work extremely long hours in dangerous conditions and were beaten in order to keep them working (Kaufman).” There were many issues with the way things were being dealt with, and the problems started to rise. People already saw that these new methods might not work in the long run, which is why technology was needed to help reduce these factors.

The Digital Revolution began in the late 1950s, and It was the conversion of mechanical/analog to digital, which couldn’t have happened without early advancements such as the “assembly line.” Although things were easier to mass produce, it was actually hard to work due to more production coming in every day. Henry Ford’s idea was great, but it led to more work being done in a shorter period than a longer period with slower instruments. During the assembly line era, demands were higher, and supply was also limited, which meant more productivity but less durability to workers in the long term.

Technology’s Impact: From Efficient Typewriters to Digital Dreams

An article published by A&E Television Networks says that “Ford’s Model T, introduced in 1908, was simple, sturdy and relatively inexpensive–but not inexpensive enough for Ford, who was determined to build “motor car[s] for the great multitude.” Ford later said, “When I’m through, about everybody will have one.” In order to lower the price of his cars, Ford figured, he would just have to find a way to build them more efficiently.” This progression in the early 1900s allowed people to start thinking outside the box. It wasn’t until 1913 that Henry Ford installed the first moving assembly line for the mass production of his automobile empire. His innovation resulted in reduced time to build a car from 12 hours to two hours and 30 minutes.

The economy was booming, but people were getting tired more and more every day. For instance, journalists and writers of this time dreamed of a day when they could write papers without using typewriters and stamps. Most typewriters weighed so much and became harder to fix as they aged. The writers at this time would work 16+ hours writing tomorrow’s paper because of errors/typos and the fact that they couldn’t bring them home. In turn, it would exhaust them because writers were sleep-deprived and could potentially create more errors if it wasn’t dealt with. The editors of Britannica claim that “The early portables of the late 19th century were slow, awkward, type-wheel machines.

In 1909, the first successful portables appeared on the market. By the 1950s, practically every typewriter manufacturer produced a portable typewriter; all of them were typebar machines similar in operation to office machines. Designed with lighter parts than those of standard models, portables are more compact but less sturdy. Electrical operation of portable typewriters was introduced in 1956”. It appears that history tends to follow the trend of “making things easier” as we get more and more tired of doing harder tasks. These trends lead to more innovations that could impact the future of the digital revolution. People had tough lives, and their needs only grew as the standard of life improved.

People wanted a change, and they were desperate. Post Henry Ford, life was better, but it was harder to get what you wanted, so people were searching for convenience. Convenience would help ease the stressful lives that many people were already living. Technology was the answer, and people couldn’t comprehend how it would come, but when the third revolution came, it didn’t just help people; it boomed the economy.

Digital Revolution’s Evolution: From Transistors to Connectivity

People were using more technology during this time, which made digital computers and digital records a common thing. Communication changed dramatically for humans because people were talking via computers, cell phones, and the Internet. With the rapid change in the social environment, we can now send more information faster than ever. This revolution brought the Information Age, which was the growth of knowledge and research through the World Wide Web.

In 1947, the transistor was created to help create a switch and help someone control the energy being applied in a machine or instrument. The transistor helped create the digital industrial age and held its foundation. By 1950, many governments, military forces, and other organizations were already using computers for day-to-day functions and protecting assets through the Internet. It was later, in the 1970s, when computers were used for in-home and for personal use. With more computers out, it opens new doors for programmers to have a chance to develop more applications and files for daily users. Popular items such as video games increased, as well as arcade games, which were getting the attention of many kids and children alike.

Phones were big, too; the first mobile phone was created by Martin Cooper in 1973 and was the first one to introduce the concept of talking wirelessly via phone. As businesses saw a trend, they capitalized on the digital market and created organizations that led to more jobs. The jobs were getting more and more people, and that meant files had to be kept in a digital record and stored from other organizations, so companies had to be very strict with their online files. In the 1980s, films started becoming more computerized, robots started showing up, and automated teller machines came out.

These new items allowed people to get better quality films, a better life, and easier access to funds without waiting in line. We also had many miscommunications at this time because landline services varied from time to time and were not really effective for calling long distances. The idea of analog phones was turned into digital phones by the year 1991 and had held a high demand from people. Phones were lighter and easier to communicate through satellite and antenna connectivity. The World Wide Web wasn’t introduced until 1992, and businesses’ demanded that all personnel knew how to use the computer. Therefore, life was much different as we progressed and improved the digital world as we continue towards the 21st century.

Internet’s Impact: Revolutionizing Communication and Innovation

Like Newton once said, “For every action, there is an opposite reaction,” and technology has positively acted on our influence to fortify itself as a fundamental aspect of our everyday life, yet most fear the opposite reaction of the magnitude it surges every day. The  Information  Age, also known as the spreading of ideas through media and research, helped us leap into the technological revolution. ‘Some have begun to call it the Information Revolution.

Technological changes brought dramatic new options to Americans living in the 1990s. From the beginning of the decade until the end, new forms of entertainment, commerce, research, work, and communication became commonplace in the United States. The driving force behind much of this change was innovation popularity known as the Internet.” (Leiner). The Internet has shaken our world and completely changed the computer and communications world forever; the invention of the first telegraph set the foundation and paved a road of unprecedented possibilities. Worldwide worldwide broadcasting is known as the Internet, a means by which users can interact and collaborate between computers despite their geometric distance.

Something as tremendous and expansive as it is nearly impossible to accredit such invention to a single person reviewed in a short article reads, “The Internet was the work of dozens of pioneering scientists, programmers, and engineers who each developed new features and technologies that eventually merged to become the “information superhighway” we know today.” and thus it is. Long before its existence, scientists had already predicted such a network capable of transmitting information through world-wild networks of information, and a distinguished scientist, Nikola Tesla, toyed with such a theory at a time when not many could wrap their heads around electric bulbs.

The modern day we live in now has changed drastically due to many improvements that have been applied since the 50s. The first iPhone was released on June 29th, 2007; it was the first phone that made our fingertips the driving force of our daily tasks. An article written by History Cooperative says, “The device was introduced as an iPod with a wider screen, controlled by touch instead of physical buttons. In short, it was a mobile phone and a device to communicate with the Internet. At the time, Jobs told the audience that this device would “reinvent the phone.”

Technology’s Dual Impact: Efficiency and Dependency

While revealing the design of this new device, Jobs took time out to make fun of the current smartphones on the market and showed off how simple it was to control a phone using simple touch gestures on a screen, and the audience was hooked.” This phone was the first to bring the world to the palm of our hands and allow us to communicate very efficiently. People now had, fulfillment for the smaller “needs” of the average consumer than we would not have this network-based world today.

It made it easier because we live in a time where the world is sitting at our fingertips; writing research papers has become second nature to us due to the high grade of info we can process at a certain time. Gathering info was much harder for our predecessors to find because it wasn’t digital, and resources made it tough to find exactly what you were looking for. Some argue that computers have influenced our sense of time and our perception of what is long-term and what is instant. We could be seeing a future where humans no longer need to think about a solution because of our ability to learn quickly.

Technology has connected our world and has fulfilled the ‘need’ issue without any kind of wait. Unfortunately, “To capitalize on that desire, companies are taking consumer anxiety and sprinting with it, offering same-day delivery services, eliminating the need to wait for a taxi and providing the ability to stream full seasons of TV shows within seconds.” Everything imaginable could be shipped to you in a fast and efficient way, worry-free.

Looking back at the pendulum of effects that technology has had on society, dating from the 1800s to now, shows a huge margin in change and growth as a society. The impact the digital revolution made has its pros and cons and is not even at its peak yet. The greatest technological advancement to bring about an extraordinary change to our world is yet to be developed, perhaps even imagined. No one now unfortunately, neither of us here today would be able to enjoy such monumental singularity and the beneficial components that it may have in the next 100 years. We depend on technology too much to not say that its positives outweigh our negatives.

Although our attachment to it has made us more social, we are more separated individually. With everything running through automation, we can only expect efficiency and speed. Tough times in the past are now replaced with instruments and tools that save human effort. It has helped to such a great extent that it’s making life easy and comfortable. Nothing else has ever impacted our lives the way the digital world has today. The third industrial revolution has made the blueprint for civilizations to live and co-exist with the digital world.

References:

1. Bond, Eric. “Textile Industry and Machinery in the Industrial Revolution.” Industrial Revolution, industrialrevolution.sea.ca, https://industrialrevolution.sea.ca/industry/textile.php
2. Porter, Glenn. “The Industrial Revolution.” Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/event/Industrial-Revolution
3. Kaufman, Cathy. “Child Labor during the British Industrial Revolution.” ThoughtCo, https://www.thoughtco.com/child-labor-during-the-industrial-revolution-1774041
4. A&E Television Networks. “Model T.” History, https://www.history.com/topics/early-20th-century-us/model-t
5. Leiner, Barry M., et al. “A Brief History of the Internet.” Internet Society, https://www.internetsociety.org/internet/history-internet/brief-history-internet/