Society Reinvented: The Industrial Revolution, Essay Example

The modern revolution brought about by technology, and specifically the Internet, has greatly influenced society. Even this impact, however, cannot compare to how the Industrial Revolution changed the foundations of American life. Essentially, the dominant force of agriculture gave way, and then was incorporated into, the rise of the factory and the machine. The factories were originally based in the Northeast, where the populations were concentrated and river power could produce energy, but the effects of them were far-reaching. In little time, there was a new way to earn a living, and one independent of climate activity. Farm workers struggling with poor conditions and young people in rural regions now had a choice. There was a way to feed a family outside of the home, and hundreds of thousands migrated to the East.

With so enormous a shift, other major changes must inevitably occur. As massive populations relocated to take advantage of the steady work, the great cities of the Atlantic coast expanded to accommodate them, and this translated to new opportunities for trade. Urban housing boomed, and all the ancillary aspects of city living, from groceries to entertainment, were creating a further need for workers. Equally importantly, standards of living were rising; people had discretionary income, even if urban living conditions were crowded, and such income only serves to generate a growing economy. At the same time, these cities emerging around the factories took advantage of the population influx. Child labor was common, work days were unregulated, and few systems were in place to look out for the ordinary worker.

Then, this was a “revolution”: occurring over decades, so other effects developed from the initial surge. Essentially, as the Eastern cities created more efficient means of manufacture and transport, and the railroad ended reliance on waterway shipping, the West was open for a similar expansion. Agriculture would still remain a foundation, but now Western states could echo the growth of the East. With industrial technology and the power of the train, the nation was capable of rebuilding and reinventing itself. Ultimately, the presence of the factory and the use of modern power sources created a nation whose limits were boundless, as they were no longer dependent on annual harvests.