Jack Larkin's The Personal Side Of A Developing People

Migration and population have played a massive role in defining the American lifestyle during the 18th and 19th centuries. One instance of this is through the different beliefs seen in contrasting ideals in the north and south. In the north, with much less of a reliance on agriculture, do not depend on the economic benefits of slavery as much as the south does. As a result, due to this, as well as the emergence of democratic philosophies, Americans, specifically those in northern colonies who didn’t rely on a cheap labor source, began to view such treatment as unequal and completely contradictory to the liberties granted in the Bill of RIghts. Additionally,

Within the 19th century American atmosphere, is a realm of cultural tropes that distinguishes themselves among the common literature that people read. Among these people, are different demographics as each publication caters to a specific audience on the basis of race, gender, and residing region. While the readers of these publications come from varying backgrounds and belief systems, there are unique similarities that provide insight as to how people were reading in the 19th century. These similarities contextualize what these readers were looking for in these publications as well as their interests and habits in respect to the demographics represented in the periodical archive.

As Americans entered an era of transition and instability, they sought to expand democratic ideals in the society. In response to sudden changes occurring and traditional values being challenged, various reform movements during 1825-1850 began to focus on democratic ideals. The rise of religious revivals, movements for equal rights and protecting liberties of different social groups, want to advance society technologically, and desire to bring order and control helped reform the society to live up to the nation’s founding ideals. Teaching them (I don’t get who “them” is) the habits of thrift, orderliness, temperance and industry was a way to not only better their lives but a way to instill certain democratic values and advance the

Fanny Trollope, an English novelist and writer, travelled to America in the early 19th century for a glimpse of life outside of England. In her work, “The Domestic Manners of the Americans”, Trollope captured her experience in countless opinionated, highly critical observations that judged Americans based on their behaviors and practices. Many aspects of American life captured Trollope’s attention, but these aspects were not seen in a positive light. It was obvious through her story that Trollope did not care for the American life; however, there seemed to be much more to Trollope’s opinions besides petty distastes. Trollope found the American lifestyle repulsive because it seemed to revolve around pride in their impolite and offensive behavior, creating an environment of arrogance and superiority over outsiders like herself.

During the 1800’s the way people lived was not quite how we live today. Although some may argue that the way they lived back then was so much easier it actually caused a lot of humans to perish. Not only did they die from diseases, but also because there was a lack of sanitization. “Industrial growth brought with it a host of environmental pollution problems”, (Document 3). Imagine living in an environment with trash and waste just being dumped into the streets, compared

Have you ever thought about what people back in the day read in their spare time since we all just immediately get on our phones? I compared and contrasted the August 2015 Time magazine, and the June 4th 1864 edition of Harper’s Weekly. I have come to the realization that when people say times have changed, they are not kidding. It is crazy to read in between the lines and see how Americans lived over 150 years ago. The way things are placed and discussed are very different in both Harper’s Weekly and Time Magazine, but the two are similar in some ways also.

According to Domestic Manners Of The Americans, “ we had repeatedly been told, by those who knew the land, that the second summer was the great trial to the health of Europeans settled in America; but I was now doomed to feel the truth breathing fever and death around I was in bed for nine weeks” (Trollope, 134). After Fanny Trollope’s four years of experience within America enjoying much of the natural beauty and abundance of the land, the friendliness and kindness of many people she met and the dramatic material advances, her overall impression was not favorable. In Contrast, Charles Dickens and Alexis De Tocqueville enjoyed and learned many new ideas and concepts during their travels within America, while Fanny Trollope traveled to the United States to experience what America had to offer and did not enjoy some of the experiences she went through. Overall, Charles Dickens, Alexis De Tocqueville, and Fanny Trollope managed and experienced life within the newly found Americas in all new and different

Social change in 1920s America was fundamental to the era earning the name the ‘Roaring Twenties’. It quickly became the societal norm to enjoy lavish parties, excessive alcohol despite the prohibition laws and dancing to new rhythmic jazz music. The social change was most evident in the roles of women. Before the First World War, women were restricted to being homemakers. Few, if any, women were employed and they never attended parties without a chaperone. During the war, however, women had enjoyed new freedom as they worked in factories while their husbands and fathers were at war. This sort of work in heavy industry encouraged freer behavior and women began smoking and drinking in public and going out unchaperoned. Fitzgerald’s depiction of Jordan Baker and Daisy Buchanan reflects the new woman of the 1920s. Indeed, even Jordan Baker’s name is unisex, reflecting the changing roles of women as they defy society’s expectations and enjoy more masculine pursuits. This new found freedom slipped into decadence, allowing parties such as Gatsby’s to be much less reserved as Nick observes women falling back upon men

Kallen, Stuart A., and Ben Hecht. “A Chance Encounter with a Flapper .” The Roaring Twenties, Greenhaven Press, San Diego, CA, 2002, pp. 141–145.

It is hard to imagine in the twenty first century the level of filth that was experienced in the 1830’s on a daily basis. Sanitation, public health and sewer systems were problems that gripped the nation throughout the ninetieth century (1830-1860s), encouraging popular debate and proposal of changes. The growth of population and increase in the industry

In Cheap Amusements, Kathy Peiss studies the customs, values, public styles, and ritualized interactions expressed in leisure time of the working-class women living in New York. The social experiences of these young women gives different clues to the ways in which these women constructed and gave meaning to their lives between the years of 1880-1920.

Children, with bright faces, tripped merrily beside their parents, or mimicked a graver gait, in the conscious dignity of their Sunday clothes” (Hawthorne, 1) places the readers in a small village in the United States in the middle of the 1800’s with an action that lasts for several days.

Life in the 1800s has taken on an almost idealistic quality in the minds of many Americans. The images linked to this era of our history are, on the surface, pleasurable to recall: one room school houses; severe self-reliance; steam-powered railroads and individual freedom.

People were expected to adapt to society and always practice the use of etiquette. Nineteenth century etiquette was comprised of a carefully structured group of social expectations that were incredibly hard to defy. In fact, no social expectations were easily defied then; those who attempted to combat them were often outcasted from society. People were held to an impossibly high standard, meaning that often more was expected of them than they were able to suffice. Though the idea that someone should always sit up straight, speak politely, and use their manners may seem ridiculous to the majority of those in the 21st century, this idea was one that was promoted extensively at the time. More was expected from individuals engaging in society than mere existence. Entire books were published (American Etiquette and Rules of Politeness) to set examples for how the normal people of society were expected to behave. People of lower classes were not to speak to those of the upper class without permission, and even after permission was granted it was crucial that the sentence spoken by the lower class individual be kept short so as not to waste the time of the “better” individual. A woman was not to be left alone with a man; if she were, her reputation would be tarnished, and the man would likely become subject to mockery. Burping in public was the equivalent to social suicide. As previously stated, these

The 19th century was when people would drink large amounts of alcohol, especially men, which is why the temperance reform was put in place. On average, Americans drank about seven gallons of hard alcohol, including whiskey and other distilled spirits. These people did not think that drinking was harmful, and they said that alcohol was cleaner than water. Drinking was becoming out of control. For example, Ten Nights in a Bar-Room is about how Mary’s father that goes to the bar way too often, and Mary goes to the bar to tell her father to come home almost every night because she wants him to come home. One of the times she shows up, and one the men throws a bottle at her father, but it hits her, and she dies. This shows how out of control drinking was, and men had no self-control. “There was so much of biting contempt in the tones, as