Title: To What Extent Did the Industrial Revolution Change American Social, Economic & Political Life? | Education - Seattle PI
Headings: To What Extent Did the Industrial Revolution Change American Social, Economic & Political Life?
To What Extent Did the Industrial Revolution Change American Social, Economic & Political Life?
Historical Context
A New Society
Economic Impact
Political Repercussions

Content: Historical Context
Prior to the Industrial Revolution, America possessed a predominantly agrarian economy and generated wealth through the trade of tobacco, and resources such as lumber, minerals, fur and fish. England, rich in resources thanks to its colonial acquisitions, benefited from a series of technological breakthroughs to become the world’s first industrial power in the late 18th century. Though the English attempted to monopolize their technology and skilled labor through legislation, industrialization spread throughout Europe and reached America. The Second Industrial Revolution, which took place roughly between 1870 and 1914, established the United States as the world’s foremost industrial power. A New Society
Most 18th century Americans lived in self-sustaining rural communities. The Industrial Revolution witnessed the evolution of large urban centers, such as Boston and New York City, and spurred a massive internal migration of workers. The Industrial Revolution also stimulated the rise of unskilled labor. Prior to the 19th century, most Americans not employed in agriculture performed some kind of skilled trade. The advent of industrial production removed the necessity of apprenticeship for craftsmen and commoditized labor itself. The Industrial Revolution also created a wide availability of cheap commodities, which engendered a consumer culture that marked the end of many rural Americans' subsistence lifestyle.