Michigan essays

Michigan essays During the industrial revolution in the United States, tremendous economic prosperity resulted in social and political unrest. It seemed the rich were getting richer while the poor remained poor. The middle class was forged out of the industrial revolution but would be challenged at this time. Large influxes of immigrants would also create tensions among the social classes. Furthermore, textile, steel, railroad, and automobile industries were growing exponentially, employing thousands. The class struggles was a direct result of the division between labor and capital. Peoples social lives are a reflection of their work lives. The success of ones career is directly correlated with their social welfare. The industrial revolution created conflicts between labor and capital in the work process, differing socially constructed views between the classes in regards to family and community life, and governments role in the capitalist economy.. During the 1800s, the United States was engrossed in the first half of the industrial revolution. The textile factories, such as those discussed in Rockdale, were booming in northern states due to both technological improvements, such as water and steam powered machinery, and the success of agriculture in southern states. The railroad industry, one of Americas first interstate big businesses, was speeded up with the introduction of the Bessemer process of forging steel. Fueled by technological improvements in the steel industry, the transcontinental railroad was completed, joining Union Pacific and Central Pacific lines at Promontory Point, Utah. Railroads and factories started to dominated the American landscape. Railroads were connecting cities allowing commerce to flow more freely. Furthermore, railroads linked remote regions of the country, such as the Idaho mines mentioned in Big Trouble. Factories were growing in numbers while also growing in size. Economi...