![]() ![]() Production became dependent upon seasonal water flow, with cold, icy winters all but stopping river transportation entirely. ![]() ![]() Before the mid-1800s, factories, such as the early textile mills, had to be located near rivers and seaports, both for the transport of goods and the necessary water power. At this time, the attractions of city life, and in particular, employment opportunities, grew exponentially due to rapid changes in industrialization. Immigrants sought solace and comfort among others who shared the same language and customs, and the nation’s cities became an invaluable economic and cultural resource.Īlthough cities such as Philadelphia, Boston, and New York sprang up from the initial days of colonial settlement, the explosion in urban population growth did not occur until the mid-nineteenth century ( Figure 19.3). Furthermore, problems ranging from famine to religious persecution led a new wave of immigrants to arrive from central, eastern, and southern Europe, many of whom settled and found work near the cities where they first arrived. While the work was dangerous and difficult, many Americans were willing to leave behind the declining prospects of preindustrial agriculture in the hope of better wages in industrial labor. Workers were forced into grueling twelve-hour shifts, requiring them to live close to the factories. New electric lights and powerful machinery allowed factories to run twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. ![]() The new technologies of the time led to a massive leap in industrialization, requiring large numbers of workers. Urbanization occurred rapidly in the second half of the nineteenth century in the United States for a number of reasons. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |