The Way Industrialization Shaped America 1960-1900

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The aftermath of the Civil War saw widespread disease, death and destruction of homes, businesses and livelihoods. Confederate states were left bankrupt, farmlands and livestock were scarce, and the Emancipation Proclamation meant the abolishment of slavery. By the end of the war, the typical American industry was small. Hand labor was still widespread, which greatly limited the production ability of industry. Most businesses served small markets and did not have the resources or capital needed for expansion. During the Reconstruction era – a period that lasted from the 1860s until the late 1870s (depending on the state) – the country sought to implement reforms in both state and society. After Reconstruction, the nation’s focus shifted toward economic recovery and expansion. America’s bountiful supply of natural resources played a principle role in the rise of big business. Valuable resources like steel, coal and oil attracted investors from industrialized nations such as Germany, France and Great Britain, who were looking for new investment opportunities in the United States. Iron and steel were vital to America’s industrialization as they were necessary to make tools, weapons and the railroads. Entrepreneurs from abroad invested their money in the training of skilled tradesmen like mechanics and engineers, with the hope that their expertise would eventually stimulate more proficient methods of mass production of consumer goods. As newer and more efficient production methods were introduced, machines replaced hand labor and workers were then able to produce goods at a much faster rate than before. Large manufacturing firms hired thousands of workers and would appoint each one a specified task in the production process. The organized system of the division of labor significantly sped up production rates. These new forms of factory organization meant that
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