Chinese immigrant Lee Chew chronicles the transition from life in China to a new and challenging life in America. Chew immigrated to America at the age of 16, leaving his father’s farm to achieve economic success in America. Chew lived all over America, first in San Francisco, and then eventually Chew traveled to New York, Chicago, Detroit, and Buffalo. Chew worked at many different jobs all over the country, in New York, Chew worked for a mining company. It states, “We were there three years with the railroad, and then went to the mines, where we made plenty of money in gold dust...” (LC, 77). The quote illustrates how Chew transitioned from one job to the next with ease. Not only does the quote show how finding a job took little skill, but it also shows that anyone could find a job and earn a wage. Chew, an immigrant, earning a job, …show more content…
Due to mechanization and more jobs for more people, immigration to America rose extremely quickly, which completely changed the economic structure of America. People from around the world immigrated to America to achieve the “American Dream” (to become successful in America) and with wages and jobs rising, immigration drastically flourished. Factories needed more people to work and build items quickly. Mass production and mechanization led to Taylorism, managing people in a work environment and pushing for as much efficiency as possible. With more people making money, the wealth pool in America expanded to lower classes and American society also modernized. The industrial age improved the lives of everyone, since wages increased, society completely improved. Better housing and higher life expectancy showed how the industrial age improved the lives of the working class. During the height of the industrial revolution, achieving success became easier to accomplish for all Americans due to the rise of wages and economic
The Chinese immigration experience was not a kind one. As the Office of Historian explains, “American objections to Chinese immigration took many forms, and generally stemmed from economic and cultural tensions, as well as ethnic discrimination” (para 2). While Chew does not describe having to send money back home or pay off the merchants who transported him to America, many Chinese did face these debts, and as a result, they worked for whatever wage they could find—this led Americans to distrust them and view them as job thieves.
What about other immigrants? What was their life as an immigrant like? Did they have fair employment opportunity? Did they have equal rights? In analyzing Lee Chew’s Life of a Chinese Immigrant (1903), Lee Chew reveals some key points about “Chinese prejudice against American” he states that the prejudice is “unfounded” and how he did not believe in the “wild tales” about the Americans being “wicked wizards” and “men of evil minds” but in looking at what Chew had to endure after emigrating from China. Chew had stated that he went from laundering clothes, to the railroad, to mining and how “many of the miners were wild men who carried revolvers and after drinking would come into our place to shoot and steal shirts, for which we had to pay.” (Chew
The Second American Industrial Revolution was a time of great social improvements and advances in technology. It was also a time of great turmoil for the workforce and the lower class. Industrialization allowed the growth in gross national product of the United States, which helped improve the economy (doc 1). The period of advancements that dramatically aided in the growth of America occurred between 1780 and 1860. This growth included movement from rural areas to urban areas. In 1870, 70% of the population lived in rural areas, but by 1910, only 54% lived in rural areas (doc 1). The flight from the farmland and the immigration movement overpopulated the cities. It affected both rich and poor, both natives and immigrants. The Industrial Revolution
The industrial era introduced a tremendous period of economic growth and the U.S gained and regained crucial markets. (Pettengill 1/22/18). In other terms, the result of the war, encouraged many immigrants to migrate to the United States in search of a better lifestyle
In the documentary “Becoming American- The Chinese Experience” We are shown the history of many Chinese- American immigrants in the united states. We are also shown our on nations past history focusing on the dark part of history. This documentary describes in detail the journey of the first chinese- America immigrants into the united states and their descendants.
Society undergoes a major transformation as a result of so many consequences. Firstly the society expanded and the population of the inhabitant increases due to migration and search for jobs from the area of low employment in areas of high employment. Hand work was changed to machine labor and this made women started working in long hours and the rise of child labor, and immigration from the west for greener pasture increased. The rapid growth of factories enables many Americans abandoned farming and went in search for factory jobs which was in demand due to the use of machines. However, this changed the style of living in the society and added a separate class of people known as the
Industrialization was the main cause of change in society. The second Industrialization Revolution happened when electricity showed up in America during the 1880s. Americans enjoyed automobiles, telephones, skyscrapers, motion pictures, and electric lights because of electricity; however, these things caused air pollution and traffic. Another way that society changed was the increase of urban populations due to the increase of immigration. Factories hired millions of immigrants because immigrants would work more hours for less money to provide for their families. Other changes in society were that the working class was used to seeing child labor, disease, and low wages in the workforce; the upper class did not face problems like the working class did. Electricity transformed society by changing
Throughout the US history, industrialization played a huge impact in society. But soon after The War of 1812, American nationalism increased, adding to the industrialization for the country overnight. Textile mills and other mills began to spring up, that created more jobs for people. Technology also increased, from 1815 to 1860 it showed a major shift from agriculture to industrialization. The economy started to show major differences between the north and the south, but it also brought them together.
Industrialization culturalized the economy and the social life in the country at this time. This progress created new and improved jobs that boosted the nations economy, which also allowed for more technological advancements. Better roads were being paved; canals, railroads, telegraphs and lastly factories
America was a time of rapid growth for people all across the country. The Industrial Revolution began a few years after the Civil War with the invention of steam powered machines. From there, America faced a time of massive expansion and modern industrialized cities popped up across the United States. While there was much success across the nation, such as manual labor becoming easier and a huge population growth, the negative effects of industrialization outweigh the positives. A few of the issues that made industrialization an atrocious time for many was the racism and segregation towards immigrants and unsafe and unfair working conditions/the deprivation of a regular childhood for kids across the nation.
Industrialization changed the ways in which Americans worked. Most Americans worked at home. It was their decision on how and when they worked. When industrialization came along, most Americans worked outside the home and for someone else. Instead of working when they wanted they had to follow orders on how to work for someone else (boss) and what time they were going to finish. Many Americans was doing unskilled work because of ignorance and the lack of knowing how. So, Instead of working as skilled artisans, they became a subordinate but integral people in industrial machine shops (Backer,
The Industrialization era in the United States brought immense change to the rebuilding country after the civil war. During the Industrialization era in the United States reforms were made to help create a better working condition to go along with the increase of production and growing number of people in the workforce. Key individuals helped advance the process of a more industrialized America, however corruption in business and politics also monopolies in certain parts of industries came with people’s desire to attain more wealth. The Industrialization era helped modernize the country into what we know today.
Industrialization occurred between the late 1800s and early 1900s. During this time period, America was tremendously changing. This was the age of machines and electricity being formed and developed. The first automobile, light bulb, and steam engine were all invented. However, what people might consider these as all positive, industrialization had an overall negative impact on American society. For example, working conditions for workers were beyond dreadful, while their tenements they lived in after a 16 hour work day were atrocious, and then having immigrants come in and trying to steal jobs was just unimaginable.
America is the great exception where people can be born of humble origins and rise to the top to become the next Abraham Lincoln (Pettengill). However, in the Early Republic things began to change and industrialization created a huge gap between the rich and the poor and made it hard to rise to the top. Industrialization changed America from an agricultural country to one based on manufacturing goods and services. This change created advancement and expansion for the nation as a whole. Industrialization was very helpful to the economy but was an impediment for the working class, like Sam Patch. In the book, Sam Patch by Paul E. Johnson, it is evident how industrialization restricted the freedom of the working-class and increased the great divide between the rich and the poor.
The industrialization of America between 1865 and 1920 brought effects in political, economic and social systems. This progress had a significant impact on the lives of the American people.