Colonial Middle Class American Life Essay

Articles written during a specific period gives the future population an idea of the issues present during that time. Before the United States became independent, woman education was limited to the skill needed to be a good wife and proper mother. Particularly, upper-class woman were the only ones that had the resources to gain an education. Most middle and lower class focus primarily on the education of their males. European education influence Colonial America’s educational system. Since there weren’t any establish convents schools in the colonies, tutors were primarily hired and later on schools were incorporated. During the first years of schooling, new England girls went to a coed school called “dame school”. In the dame school, girls were thought to knit and sew. Many girls got the chance to go to the town school. However, some town school in new England prohibited girls from attending. In the south, girls got the

The middle colonies liked bread so much their nickname was the breadbaskets the new england mostly focused on religion.

During the Progressive Era, various groups responded to the political, social, and economic woes that resulted from the rapid industrialization and urbanization of America during the 19th Century. The mass immigration of foreigners and the northern migration of Africa-Americans led to urban overcrowding and competition for wage-paying jobs. Electric lighting allowed factories to expand the working hours and increase the output of manufactured goods. There was little regulation for employee welfare and many men, women, and children toiled long hours in unsafe factory conditions. Expanding communications through the widespread use of telephones, magazines, and newspapers brought the plight of the poor and oppressed to middle-class America. Improving personal economics allowed these reformers to think less about personal issues and more about society at large. These middle-class Americans led a social movement to cope with the problems associated with rapid industrialization in the 19th Century by bettering society through governmental, business, and social reform.

Known as the era that caused many reforms in the US, the Antebellum period was very impactful on the US’ future. Loosely known as the Plantation Era, the Antebellum era was the period, before the Civil War. Throughout the Period, many people known as “Reformers” focused on changing things in everyday life. They mainly focused on changing major things in America’s social, political, and religious life, however, it was a large movement which took many years to accomplish everything. Due to these reforms, there was a change in the US’ society, religion, and politics. This means that the reforms were mainly focused on slavery, education, and belief in religion. The main events were education reforms, the Great Awakening, and abolitionism. Each

The late 1800’s is called The Second Industrial Revolution or “Gilded Age.” Along with railroads, automobiles, telephones, telegraphs and phonographs became part of daily life in cities to the middle-class american. There was more work opportunities outside of that of farming. The gilded Age was characterized by the rapid industrialization that transfigured the country from a central rural and agriculturally-based republic, into a urbanized and industrial

Differences Between the Middle and New England Colonies. You can’t replace something that can’t be taken. The New England colonies have a rocky terrain exclusive to its region. The Middle colonies have beaver filled streams and rolling hills that can stretch far and wide. The Southern colonies contain rich soil and coastal forests that can make it great for farming.

In the late nineteenth century, the rise of an industrial America took the country by storm. New innovations, and the development of steel manufacturing, petroleum refining, and the expansion of railroads, changed the nation’s economy and the lifestyle of the people. The names of Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and J.P. Morgan became widely known. This industrial boom introduced a new class of wealthy industrialist and a well off middle class. Unfortunately, farmers began to struggle immensely during this time; the prices for farm produce began to fall

The “Background” section of this article gives a lot of insight to how the middle class was formed and the economic problems that arose throughout the 18th and 19th century, and are still arising today. This section is divided into four smaller segments that each give insight to the middle class and economic issues in a specific time frame. These sections are titled “Early Middle Class,” “Government Intervention,” “Economic Boom,” and “The Reversal.” The “Early Middle Class” section focuses on the time frame between the late 1800s and early 1900s where the Gilded Age, Progressive Movement, and the Roaring Twenties took place.

     Religion was a very important part of everyday life in colonial America. Sometimes people were not allowed to question what they were taught, and if they did so they were punished accordingly. Before 1700 some colonies had more religious freedom then others. While others colonies only allowed religious freedom to a select group, others allowed religious freedom to all different kinds of religions. In the overall there was quite a bit of religious freedom in colonial America

The growth of cities gave rise to the middle class, powerful political machines, and a boom in industrial production. An increase in the production of goods led to more and more demand for workers. The production industry took on a new form with the development of new and more effective factory systems The growth of big businesses and corporations in the US marked a turning point in America’s economic history. Not since the Gilded Age and the Industrial Revolution has our country seen such drastic urbanization and industrial growth. The major political and economic causes and for the growth of big business in American society from 1870 to 1900 include rapid immigration, the growth of the transcontinental railroad, and the growth of cities and the consequences of this development include the stimulation of the US economy and the growth of the middle

Unity within colonies was extremely strong because it was assembled in a primal urge for survival. The colonists were in this entirely new land, so it was natural they would stick together to the familiar, and therefore build strong bonds and loyalty to their colony. Exclusion also excellently describes early America because of the way colonies expelled their own people if they did not follow the colony's strict ‘rules' of life. The primary source documents; "City upon a Hill", "Ann Hutchinson's Trial", "Founding Of The Iroquois League", and "The Mayflower Compact" are all brilliant examples of this contradictory yet surprisingly honest view of early American history. Early American History should be remembered as

The late 1700’s was a time of promise and an expectation of freedom. Millions of immigrants flocked to America in hope to acquire the “American Dream.” Hard work, white picket fence, a stable life, religious equality, the whole nine yards. In the 1700’s the American dream was substantially different than it is now a days, due to the colonization of the whole country, the modern laws in other countries, and our economy. The American dream was birthed in a time of despair when people needed hope the most but the basic principal started in DeCrevecouer’s letters from America to Europe. The new land that he discussed was full of hope, optimism and opportunity. At the time he wrote the letters, most of the continent wasn’t discovered. People had

Life during the mid-century era was quite different compared to the life we all live in today. It was during the beginning of the cold war and only a handful of years removed from World War II where people were uncertain with their life’s duration in the long run. People saw their home and family as an outlet to the wildness of the outside world. The home was also looked at as a safety net which secured their loved ones from great harm. Because of the fact that two World Wars had ended, along with the worst financial crisis in history in the Great Depression, Americans were exhausted with battles and wars, ultimately referring to settling down and having children with their loved ones. During this period of time, Americans were eager to start families as fast as they possibly could, leading to the phrase known as “baby

While taking care the homes and the children women were not expected to work. In the Upper Class the women had babysitters and nannies. They did not spend all their time around the house. They basically did other activities that include other upper class women. The nannies even were their teacher. The Upper Class had the easier way of living because people from the working class took care of the families for small pay. Women in the middle-class desire was to marry a rich man so they can get better goods and more respect. The Middle-Class women would donate money for the lower class a.k.a. working class for their needs. They would teach them about hygiene and keep their house clean. The work class women worked if there was not enough money coming into the house hold or if their husband passed away. If the family was blaming poor than the children would have to work as young as four years old. The woman was taught early in her years to get married and take care the family.

In many of the books we read traditional society and new colonial society clashed when brought together. Most of the time the colonial society overtook the traditional beliefs and forced the populations to convert to European ideals. This often manifested within religious practices. When people were made to give up thousands of years worth of customs they did not willingly convert. This often-hostile takeover then isolated people from each other and made peace difficult to achieve. In both Things Fall Apart and The Wine of Astonishment a colonial power comes into a culture and tears it apart. By outlawing common practices many people held dear to their hearts, the new governments hurt the population more than helped. For a short time people would accept the new ways and try to comply with the new restrictions on their culture. As more and more restrictions were added people stopped following the new traditions and went back to their lives. This led to governments terrorizing citizens and made people not trust those with power. Forced modernization was bad for the native people of Africa and the Caribbean.