An industrial revolution occurs when a society develops from one that primarily uses hands and tools to produce, to one that discovers and uses new sources of energy such as coal or electricity to power machines that create the products (Cleary 6). The Industrial Revolution took place around the world in three phases throughout history. The first Industrial Revolution was enacted within the 1770s and 1860s, and the first country ever to take part in an industrial revolution was England (Cleary 6). Great Britain, as a result of England's dominating use of technology controlled much of the world's economics, and soon after, the Revolution spread to countries in western and northern Europe and the United States (Cleary 6). Some people believe
…show more content…
When industrialization became apparent in America, the United States tried to break from Britain's control in economic affairs, and capitalists began building modernized and American, rather than British productivity (Christensen). America's involvement in the Civil War and World War I showed an apparent change in American life as it phased out of an old-fashioned period to a more modern society (Bean 601). The wars placed emphasis on emancipation, the free market system, an expansion of industry and commercialism, and a more proactive government (Pappas 3) (Bean 601). The government pushed for monetary and fiscal policies with a hope to stimulate business and mend the rapidly increasing unemployment rate, but the acceleration of inflation encouraged a want and need from desperate citizens, for a modification of economic strategies ("The Economy"). After changes in the United States economy were made, America grew out of English economics, creating its "distinct American character", as it was marked the global economic leader (Christensen) (Lapsansky-Werner, Levy, Roberts, Taylor). Throughout the years since the implementation of industrialization, the United States has adopted efficient manufacturing processes and ways of life, which have had many powerful effects on and spurred many necessary improvements to the standard of living for American life. Rather than seeing the Industrial Revolution as a path to greatness, efficiency, and an improved way of living, critics opposed to the change in American life describe the Industrial Revolution as nasty, mean, brutish, fast, disastrous, and terrible. One man opposed to the idea, Arnold Toynbee, with his book, The Industrial Revolution of of the Eighteenth Century
When industrialization became apparent in America, the United States tried to break from Britain's control in economic affairs, and capitalists began building modernized and American, rather than British productivity (Christensen). America's involvement in the Civil War and World War I showed an apparent change in American life as it phased out of an old-fashioned period to a more modern society (Bean 601). The wars placed emphasis on emancipation, the free market system, an expansion of industry and commercialism, and a more proactive government (Pappas 3) (Bean 601). The government pushed for monetary and fiscal policies with a hope to stimulate business and mend the rapidly increasing unemployment rate, but the acceleration of inflation encouraged a want and need from desperate citizens, for a modification of economic strategies ("The Economy"). After changes in the United States economy were made, America grew out of English economics, creating its "distinct American character", as it was marked the global economic leader (Christensen) (Lapsansky-Werner, Levy, Roberts, Taylor). Throughout the years since the implementation of industrialization, the United States has adopted efficient manufacturing processes and ways of life, which have had many powerful effects on and spurred many necessary improvements to the standard of living for American life. Rather than seeing the Industrial Revolution as a path to greatness, efficiency, and an improved way of living, critics opposed to the change in American life describe the Industrial Revolution as nasty, mean, brutish, fast, disastrous, and terrible. One man opposed to the idea, Arnold Toynbee, with his book, The Industrial Revolution of of the Eighteenth Century