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Analyze the impact of various events on the American Industrial worker between 1865 and 1900.

Decent Essays

I. Background information on industry and workers

A. Between the period of 1865-1900, industry exploded in growth

B. There were many contributors that included government action, labor unions, immigration, and technological changes.

1. Government action tried to help the workers by decreasing corporations ' control over employees

2. Labor unions tried to increase benefits and make working easier

3. Immigration helped by having a cheap, abundant labor source for businesses to use

4. Technological changes both helped and hurt workers by making it easier to work but making it harder by causing a need for skilled labor.

C. All of these affected workers, but in some more than others, however, labor unions and technological changes had …show more content…

B. Inventions like the Bessemer process, railroads, and the production plant all affected jobs and the economy.

C. The Bessemer process allowed steel to be created at a much faster rate.

1. This called for more workers in order to maximize production

(a) Most workers were immigrants that worked two 12-hour shifts, seven days a week.

2. The Bessemer process greatly affected the worker by providing more jobs, but at a lower wage, lower benefits, and higher hours, a negative effect.

D. In the 1860 's, the government finally commissioned the first transcontinental railroad.

E. Then from the 1860 's to about 1893, four more transcontinental railroads were created.

1. These transcontinental railroads stimulated industry greatly, creating more jobs in both industry and working on the rails.

F. The invention and development of the production plant affected the worker greatly.

1. There were now more jobs due to the openings in factories.

(a) Machines replaced skilled workers in factories

G. Technological changes often replaced workers, however, it often created more jobs in the long run.

IV. Summarizing the effects of labor unions and technological changes

A. Both labor unions and technological changes greatly affected the Industrial worker in the period of 1865-1900.

B. Labor unions tried to provide greater benefits for workers and mostly positively affected workers.

1. They were mostly successful in

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