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American Agrarian and Industrial Revolutions
During the dawn of the 19th century, the United States experiences rapid growth that touched on every facet: be it economic, social or political. Mechanization of industries and development of mega infrastructural projects acted as an impetus to spur economic growth. However, this economic growth led to notable changes in the social fabric of society. Notably, the nation had to acclimatize to the new social order that called for hard work, patriotism, capitalism and discipline as enshrined in the constitutional dispensation of the time. The development of steam boats, interstate railroads, telegraph and canals provided a fertile platform that greatly changed the economic landscape. This essay explores the economic and social implications of agrarian and industrial revolutions in the US between 1825 and 1850.
The vibrant market revolution led to the rise of the cotton kingdom. The invention of the cotton gin together with the availability of arable land encouraged the growing of cotton that was sold in the national and international markets. However, due to the agrarian, slave-based farming techniques that were quite popular in the south, the region was unable to shrug off the rural identity. For instance, between 1825-1850, a majority of the southerners (approximately 80%) worked on farms. The success story was quite different in the North (Foner, 262). The nascent but vibrant banking sector provided credit to farmers who in turn commercialized their produce. In the 1840s, farmers were able to access capital that enabled them to purchase farms and farm equipment. The mass production of wheat for sale to the emerging Eastern cities greatly improved the economic fortunes of the populace. This symbiotic relationship between the farming zones and the sprouting cities ensured a necessary balance between supply and demand, thereby spurring economic growth.
The advent of the factory system replaced the archaic traditional craft model. By 1850, the factories in the United States were producing a myriad of manufactured goods ranging from fertilizers, textiles, tools, clocks and shoes. The technical skills dubbed as “American Manufacturers System” in which smaller interchangeable parts were mass produced. These parts could later be assembled into a finished product. This period also saw the growth of textile factory systems established by immigrants from England. The first cotton factory was established in Waltham Massachusetts and in 1836 it was expanded and referred to as the city of Lowell. The factories had outlined strict rules for its laborers who were mainly daughters of farmers from different states of England. The women were forced to work for thirteen hours with no rest and they were paid meager wages (“Lowell Girls Experience”). The massive advancements led to mass migration of freed slaves from plantation farms to industrial zones. The workers were paid in wages at the rates which were far much better than those of the plantation masters. Their lifestyles greatly improved as well as the overall economy of the country through broadening of the taxation bracket and increase in the household per capita income. The overall increased purchasing power among the citizenry helped to spur the growth of domestic industries.
In social front, rapid economic expansion fueled mass immigration as demand for labor kept surging. Between 1840-1850, approximately 4 million immigrants entered the United States, a majority of them in such of job opportunities. These workers transferred different skill sets from Europe to the US, thereby giving an impetus to rapid industrialization. The mechanization of every aspect of production from the farms to finished products rendered the majority of slaves useless. It became more expensive for farmers to rely on slaves than machines (Foner,250). The freed slaves were integrated into the society and because a majority of them were not skilled, they joined cadres of jobs that provided auxiliary services to the production process, an element of production that is key to ensuring seamless transformation of goods from raw materials to finished products.
In conclusion, the period between 1825-1850 was the bedrock on which the current economy of United States thrives. It is during this period that the country witnessed massive leaps in every sphere of growth and development. The rapid mechanization of various processes paved way for mass production of goods from the farms to the industries. This in turn reinvigorated the transatlantic trade as the finished goods were exported to European markets. The influx of foreign currency continuously strengthened the dollar and stamped the United State’s authority in the global trade, an impact that is felt to this very day. Mass immigration led to exchanges in ideas which helped in propelling the economy to greater heights. Due to prosperity witnessed, the society became more cohesive and resilient leading to sprouting of national ethos that guide the countries in this modern age.
Work Cited
Foner, Eric. “Give Me Liberty: An American History.” Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling, 2011.
Factory Rules from the Handbook to Lowell (1848)