Farming and Industry
It is virtually impossible to answer the question of whether America's farmers or industrial workers had it worse in the period 1865 through 1916, because issues of gender, culture, and race make it difficult, if not impossible, to generalize about people in either occupation. Furthermore, regional differences exacerbated the differences in how each group was treated. Therefore, instead of ignoring these differences, this paper will concentrate on how gender, cultural, and race impacted each occupation, and then attempt to determine which group, as a whole, lived under worse working conditions. Any discussion of American history that begins in 1865 has to, by necessity; discuss the tremendous social changes caused by the U.S. Civil War. First, the Civil War helped highlight regional differences in the United States; the North was linked with industry and the South with agriculture. Furthermore, after the Civil War there was no incentive for the United States government to push for industrialization in the South. On the contrary, preventing the South from becoming industrialized was a way for the North to make sure that the South would not be able to secede from the Union. Second, the Civil War was responsible for the death
The main catalyst for reform was the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, which highlighted the inhumane working conditions that many working-class people endured. In addition, the social goals of the Progressive movement, such as professional charity work, improving life in slums, child labor laws, and supporting organized labor, were aimed at improving big-city life, but not applicable to people in rural areas. In addition, as highlighted by the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, the factories were prone to fires. Workers were paid by the piece, with women and children earning less per piece than male employees. At the turn of the 20th century, many industrial workers began efforts to organize. Although no longer slaves, many of these workers became sharecroppers. On the contrary, agriculture was largely concentrated in the American South. However, at the end of the Civil War, the South's economic system seemed on the verge of collapse. Sweatshops were generally located in undesirable areas of town. In addition, Wilson helped usher in social changes. One significant reason for the lack of organization had to do with the fact that farming was much more isolated than industrial work. While it would seem that Progressivism would have had an equal impact on both groups, a look at the aims and goals of that social program reveal that such a thought is incorrect. Therefore, the Civil War left a gap in the labor force, and also forced many women and children to work because they had no husband or father to provide financial support. In addition, McKinley's election led to Republican control of the White House for 16 years.
Common topics in this essay:
Civil War,
Progressive Era,
Shirtwaist Factory,
,
Furthermore Wilson,
Union League,
African Americans,
Reserve Act,
War South's,
William McKinley,
civil war,
industrial workers,
social changes,
garment workers,
republican party,
period question,
women children,
triangle shirtwaist factory,
slave labor,
factory fire,
triangle shirtwaist,
furthermore civil war,
shirtwaist factory fire,
civil war led,
goals progressive movement,
|