Industrial Revolution

Jennifer Leach

HIST 1302-061

February 21, 2017

The years between 1877 and 1970 were some of the most dynamic in American history and brought us what is known as the American Industrial Revolution. This revolution gave birth to modern America and the effects that were initiated during this time still impact America today. The effects of this revolution can be seen throughout politics, economics, and society. America would experience great growth during the revolution, but also experience a time of many growing pains throughout the different areas. Modern America was birthed from the American Industrial Revolution and came with many positive and negative effects to the nation.

Politically, Americans suffered from gridlock due to corruption, debt, and political dissension. The nation was divided because of partisan politics and influence from special interest groups. After the Civil War, the country was divided because many southerners were democratic because of reconstruction and negative feelings toward the treatment they received by many republicans. While others supported many republicans, like President Ulysses Grant, because they were given credit for winning the civil war. In fact, all republican presidents during the industrial revolution had served in the civil war. (McGraw-Hill Education) Henry Adams characterized the politics of the American Industrial Revolution as, “the period was poor in purpose and barren in results.” (Krumm) Politics during the time of the American Industrial Revolution became so corrupt and involved in itself that its impact on the nation as a whole was significant.

President Ulysses Grant was a perfect example of the instability within the government. He was surrounded with scandals that included the Whiskey Ring, Credit Mobilier and the Native American Reservations. These scandals allowed for government to focus on issues in house and corporate business could flourish with little government involvement. However, Grant’s presidency gave birth to a cycle of corruption and set a low standard for the presidency for the next thirty-five years. The government was also at such a stagnant position because of the unsettled state of the nation. The majority of the house would change six times from 1869 to 1891 and would not allow political growth and stability. The election of 1876 between Hayes and Tilden is also another perfect example of how unstable the country was during the American Industrial Revolution. The compromise that was made further divided the north and south and allowed corruption to become even a larger problem. Local governments were ruled by bosses or machines who took advantage of business relationships and led to poor work conditions. The political system during the American Industrial Revolution was very unstable due to corruption, dissension within the government, and a divided nation.

Although political corruption was an issue during the American Industrial Revolution, the United States was able to prosper into a world economic power. Many have labeled the American Industrial Revolution as the gilded age because of the growth economically.  The railroad system helped the United States economically by connecting a growing nation and providing for many needs. The railroad being built led to many innovations with steel and iron and created a way for the United States to be connected. Despite greed leading to graft and corruption, the railroad created a prosperous economy with the help of many businessmen of the time like Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Jay Gould, and J.P. Morgan. The railroad not only allowed transportation of goods, but also created jobs and opened communication with the telegraph and Morse code. It also created a safe and faster way to travel for many passengers which was especially important in the hostile areas in the west. The railroad literally laid down a foundation for growth in many ways for the nation and the American Industrial Revolution would not have the impact it did with the railroad system being built.

        The United States grew as an economic power, but not all of the population experienced this economic growth. The corruption within the government, especially in local and state government, created many leaders growing their personal economy with disregard to the nation. The fourteenth amendment was even used for businesses to say that the government could not control business because they had the same rights as the individual rights in the amendments. Also, some would even take things further and place certain people in power. Machines were created that had great local power over society and created bosses who had a major influence on a society. Many bosses could have a huge control by owning many outlets, using the patronage system, and allowing the political machines to become even more powerful and many times corrupt. A perfect example of a corrupt political machine was Tammany Hall of New York. One of the big bosses, William Magear Tweed, who would get himself elected and then appoint his friends in other offices to gain a large control over New York. Even members of the justice system would do favors for many who were a part of the Tammany Hall society. Many members of government were elected due to this influence. William “Boss” Tweed was quoted saying, “I don’t care who does the electing, so long as I do the nominating” (Moore) This corruption led to the middle class to be fearful, the rich to get richer and the poor and many immigrants living in poor conditions. America’s economy did prosper during the industrial revolution, but it did have social and political difficulties because of greed and corruption.

        America also grew even more diverse socially during the American Industrial Revolution because of the growth and changes in the nation. Many immigrants would come to America during that time and that created a lot of change for a new country. Before this time, many of the immigrants were of Western European decent, fair skinned, literate, protestant, literate and used to having a representative country. After 1880, the immigrants’ dynamic changed with different areas of Europe, possibly illiterate and accustomed to different ways, forms of government and religion. This dynamic would add to the dissension to the country and create many impoverished people and overcrowding in cities. Many of the slums in New York had immigrants who could not find jobs or get paid enough to take care of their larger families. Some women even found themselves without their husbands or they had to work as well. Even children were subject to work to take care of their families. Jacob Riis was a journalist and writer during this time that used his work to try and reflect or emphasize these immigrants and the poor. “But of the thousands, who are travelling the road they trod to the end, with the hot blood of youth in their veins, with the love of life and of the beautiful world to which not even sixty cents a day can shut their eyes—who is to blame if their feet find the paths of shame that are ‘always open to them?’ (Riis)” Riis and other journalists and muckrakers would try and write about the abuses and ill effects from the American Industrial Revolution and it paints a picture of what some of society was like and how it was effected by the growth during that time.