Between 1870 and 1914 the advantages and disadvantages of American society were equal to each other. The U.S. received more inventions that helped with electricity, help from immigrants, and the percentage of high school graduates went up. On the downside coal workers had to endure hazardous conditions, the Johnstown flood killed thousands of people, and children had to do adult’s work. In every seed of good there is always a piece of bad, but, alas, every rose has its thorn.
One of the major advantages during industrialization was how electricity improved people’s lives. With Nikola Tesla’s work on alternating current led to the inventions of batteries, and cross-country power transfers. Thomas Edison had a big impact on electricity with his inventions of the vote recorder, electric pen, Incandescent electric lamp, electric motor, and storage motor. This relationship started when Morgan hired Edison to install electricity in his mansion, and so Morgan’s home became a lab for Edison’s experiments such as a generator to power the homes hundreds of light bulbs. The major power resource for electric power was displacing steam power for many industries during the late 1800s. Coal also became very popular as a use in major energy source during the Industrial Revolution. Coal fueled furnaces and stoves used in both homes and factories and coal fueled boilers helped power ships and trains.
In addition, immigration made a great impact on the economy in America. Between 1880 and 1920 America received more than 20 million immigrants. Jews from the Europe fleeing religious persecution arrived in large groups to the USA. Immigrants supplied a lot of labor for great industrialization as well. They received people with experience in farming, business, and trade, which would help Americans greatly. Immigrants coming to the U.S. brought more workers and expanded/build our economy.
From 1870-1910 the percentage of high school graduates increased by 7%. In 1880 there were only 850 high schools available to children in America, but 10 years later there were 2,500 high schools.
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Between 1870 and 1914 the advantages and disadvantages of American society were equal to each other. The U.S. received more inventions that helped with electricity, help from immigrants, and the percentage of high school graduates went up. On the downside coal workers had to endure hazardous conditions, the Johnstown flood killed thousands of people, and children had to do adult’s work. In every seed of good there is always a piece of bad, but, alas, every rose has its thorn.
Child labor was a big problem in America at the time. Employed children under 15 years of age increased in millions from 1870 to 1900s. They couldn’t go to school because they had to work, and the work they were given was adult work. The work and the conditions they worked in were dangerous too. Most children had to make money for their family, but were still paid less than adults. They had no childhood or education which made them apart of the percentage of illiterates. While these kids worked, they had to breathe in poor air which would later on give them health defects such as black lungs.
Coal miners would have to endure hazardous/poor conditions in their workplace. They had to work in small spaces which could cause back problems from their stance in these conditions. Rocks could fall on the workers at any moment and the elevators were very dangerous to use because they could also breakdown. Floods down in the mines killed miners and also carts running them over caused death. There was also poisonous gas down there and miners would suffer from miner’s asthma (black lungs).
Another tragedy that occurred during industrialization was the Johnstown Flood. On May 31st, 1889 the South Fork Dam failed due to heavy rainfall. About 2,200 died and 99 entire families were apart of the casualties that day. The sad part was that still to this day there are 750 victims who were never identified for those grieving families. The costs from the debris and to rebuild the town came out to around 17 million dollars in property damage.
The advantages and disadvantages during industrialization did not outweigh each other. Three of the major advantages were electricity, immigrants, and a higher percentage of high school graduates. While the three disadvantages being the Johnstown Flood, workspace for miners, and children having to work with heavy tools. The industrialization had altered all aspects of American life, from the economy to politics and society itself.
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