Industrialization In America Research Paper

The Industrial Revolution was of great importance to the economic development of the United States. The new era of mass production kindled in the United States because of technological innovations, a patent system, new forms of factory corporations, a huge supply of natural resources, and foreign investment. The growth of large-scale industry in America had countless positive results, but also negative results as well. Industrialization after the Civil War affected the United States in several ways including poverty, poor labor laws, and the condition of the people.

Between 1865 and 1920, industrialization caused significant changes in many people’s lives. First, the development of a new railroad system help settle the west and made it more accessible to people. Second, public transit systems in big cities provided an outlet from congested cities. Last, the discovery of a method for transmitting electricity helped to light up our daily lives. I feel that these are three of the most important changes in people’s lives caused by industrialization.

William Vanderbilt was an American businessman whose wealth was derived from the thriving railroad industry of the late nineteenth century. He was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey in 1821 and died at age 64 on December 8, 1885. During this time, he led the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, the Canada Southern Railway, and the Michigan Central Railroad. He took over as president for these organizations for his father. His father, Cornelius Vanderbilt, brought the railroad business to his family. Upon his death, William Vanderbilt was the richest man in the world. His success can be attributed to his ability to capitalize on the transportation revolution that swept America years ago, and only remained to expand and grow with the

Three groups that were affected by the Industrialization were middle and lower class, African Americans, and women rights. Middle and lower class workers were affected by Industrialization because the growth of the middle class had expanded, and professional employment had increased, but the lower class was the victims of the industrialization because the assembly line took a lot of the jobs of a lot of workers (Gilder Lehrman Institute, 2009). Another example of the middle and lower class is Union labor groups defend workers because employers just viewed workers as cost of production then regular individuals. That’s when the

Before the Industrial revolution people knew very little about the world and were used to making whatever they needed with their hands. Life was quiet because there was no machinery to make any noise. No one traveled very far on a regular basis because there was no way for rapid transportation and there were no clocks, people just used the rise and setting of the sun. When the Industrial revolution started, the nine to five job life style emerged as well and life changed for everyone.

Cornelius Vanderbilt gained much of his wealth and prominence through hard work in the railroad and shipping industries (Cohen n. pag). BY the time he died, his railroad company he owned was worth well over one-hundred fifty million dollars. Most of his estate was left to his son William, George’s father ("Vanderbilt, Cornelius [1794-1877]" n. pag). While in control of the Vanderbilt fortune, William doubled the size (The Vanderbilt

Cornelius Vanderbilt was one of the most influential people of the 19th century by being a shipping and railroad tycoon (history.com). He shaped the way future American businesses will operate. Vanderbilt was a ruthless and competitive man (history.com). This approach to business will be what helps him to defeat a Steamboat Monopoly granted by the New York Legislature. This ruling in the law will influence future court cases (McBride, “Landmark Cases”).

“Commodore” Cornelius Vanderbilt, also known as the founder of the New York Central Railroad System, was born on May 27th, 1794 in Port Richmond, Staten Island, New York. He was named after his father, who “...instilled in him a blunt, straightforward demeanor...” while his mother, Phoebe Hand instilled “...frugality and hard work....”. It is known that his family has roots in De Bilt, which is a town in the Netherlands.

What is a robber baron? Webster’s New Dictionary defines it as an American capitalist of the late 19th century who became wealthy through exploitation (As of natural resources, governmental influence, or low wage scales) or a person who satisfies himself by depriving another. In America we had a lot of these kind of people. For this report I am going to tell you about the ones that I found most interesting to me. I would first like to tell you about Cornelius Vanderbilt.

Cornelius Vanderbilt is a name that people in American society associate with success, wealth, and prestige. Although the name may not be easily recognized by the average American citizen, Cornelius Vanderbilt is a name that symbolizes greatness to the American elite, members of academia, and aspiring businessmen who wish to someday build an business empire. The fact that he is still well esteemed amongst a smaller group of elite members in society allows him to be considered iconic. Cornelius Vanderbilt became the face of the American Dream through his aggressive business efforts, became a symbol of American values by having a lasting economic and historical impact, and defined what American royalty is. Cornelius Vanderbilt and the empire that he built has had an influential impact on how many Americans see their country and the opportunities within their reach.

During the rise of industrialization, the United States had just ended the Civil War and was starting to move on. People had an aspiration at this time to make a more than decent living for themselves, and the economy was at the right spot for this to be possible. This time period in American History is referred to as the Gilded Age, termed by the famous author Mark Twain, which simply means covered in gold; however, Twain did not necessarily mean this in a good way. He believed right under the surface of this gold plating was still problems with the American society that didn’t look so appealing. This essay will discuss how practices during the rise of industrialization during the Gilded Age shaped the American work and labor force.

After the Civil War, the United States went through a period of rapid industrialization which affected the nation dramatically. Industrial growth, the spread of railroads, the rise of big businesses, and the appearance of labor unions during these decades created a modern industrial economy, and American workers and farmers faced new challenges in adapting to these changes.

Cornelius Vanderbilt was the most powerful railroad baron. He earned a fortune for himself in the steamship line. He also combined the New York and Harlem and New York and Hudson estate ferry boat operations. He established a connection between New York and Albany to make Lake Shore and Michigan Southern link Buffalo with Chicago. When he died he owned and operated nearly 4500 miles of track between New York City and most of the important cities in the Midwest. He left his fortune to his son, unlike the others he did not donate to many organizations. The only contribution he gave was to support the, now, Vanderbilt College.

The United States has always housed two types of people: those who embrace change and those who resist it. From loyalists and revolutionaries in the eighteenth century to democrats and republicans in the twenty-first, changing economic tides and social conditions often spark factions in this nation. In the case of the Antebellum period, new technology and working environments caused turmoil. In a few short decades, the country would be locked in a civil war. However, before that came a series of religious and reform movements. Some of these movements would grow into national conversations, but began first with small groups. In Antebellum America, industrialization caused a breakdown in social structure, especially norms of class, gender, and race. This led to middle and upper class men in the North and the South using similar strategies to resist social change. Industrialization also allowed alternative voices to advocate for entirely new dynamics of power surrounding class, gender, and race.

Cornelius Vanderbilt was a steamship and railroad tycoon. He made millions in the steamship business before turning to the promising railroad industry. He began to take capital from the steamship business to buy railroads, starting with the New York and Harlem Railroad in 1862. Vanderbilt eventually amassed over $100 million from his railroad empire and his wealth and power was virtually untouchable. He was a ruthless businessman, once saying to a competitor “You have undertaken to cheat me. I won't sue you, for the law is too slow. I will ruin you.” His New York Central rail line operated from New York to Chicago along more than 4,500 miles of track at the time of his death.