Response to Rain, Steam and Speed by Joseph Mallord William Turner

The economy of England during the 18th century was one that needed rebuilding after many years of war with other countries. A breakthrough of new technology and ideas boosted the economy, creating a time known commonly as the Industrial Revolution. Specifically, there was one invention that defined the Industrial Revolution. The steam engine, a device powered by coal used to run machines at an efficient rate, was developed during the Industrial Revolution. The invention of the steam engine had a major effect on the economy of England during the Industrial Revolution through its use in mining, transportation, and factories.

The Industrial Revolution was a major turning point in history that took place between 1760 and the mid 1800’s. During this time frame, a variety of different machines were invented and put in factories to make workers and everyday people’s lives easier. These machines had to be run by people such as women and even children because the men were mostly in coal mines. Some of the many negative consequences about these new jobs and new machines being invented were; child labor, physical abuse on the job, and unsafe working conditions. While some might argue that Industrialization had primarily positive consequences for society because more jobs became available, it was actually a negative thing.

Between 1865 and 1920, industrialization caused significant changes in many people’s lives. First, the development of a new railroad system help settle the west and made it more accessible to people. Second, public transit systems in big cities provided an outlet from congested cities. Last, the discovery of a method for transmitting electricity helped to light up our daily lives. I feel that these are three of the most important changes in people’s lives caused by industrialization.

The Industrial Revolution brought about great changes in how goods were produced and consumed, but it also brought about social and political changes. Some were positive, such as machines relieving much of the toil previously placed on worker’s muscles. But there were also negative changes.

The introduction of this new technology and knowledge did not simply effect those that created or possessed the knowledge. Instead, it caused problems and raised issues among the common people of Europe which lead to their subsequent disapproval of the overall revolutionary phase. When the industrial revolution began to emerge, most people typically worked for themselves on a subsistence farm or as an apprentice. Their main goal was truly to take care of themselves and their families. When the change came around though, everything changed. Factories appeared and cheap labor was needed. Thus, workers began to flock towards cities in hopes of making it big at a factory. Sadly though,

Not only were economics majorly revolutionized during this time period but transportation transformed as well. Before the invention of the steam engine, goods were hauled by horse drawn carriages and the journey was a long and difficult one. Robert Fulton was the first to build a steamboat successfully. This caused for a wave of change and soon goods were hauled across the Atlantic (“Industrial Revolution”) After the rapid success of the steamboat, soon steam locomotives began to take the spotlight. The steamboat and locomotive enabled Americans to travel to different parts of the country in less tie add connected the U.S in a way that it had never been before.

Some of the other areas that were motivated by this movement were in the way we cultivate our goods, the mode of communication and the need for better transportation for goods. During the Agricultural Revolution, the farmers were introduced to a new way of cultivating ten times the area of land that they originally were able to do. The reason was that the greatest invention of this period came along and was introduced as the steel plow. Another area that made a drastic change was in the way that society received communication with the telegraph. This concept would ensure that individuals would receive political news, the price of goods or when merchandise was available within moments of it being sent over the wires. However, there was still a need for technology changes that would increase production and transportation. Although it took several years to complete the Transportation Revolution, still it was the start of transporting goods in a more efficient manner. This new technology would help to upgrade steamboats for the new canals being built, and later the development of railroad engines and cars for faster travel using the new railroad tracks, In fact, by 1860 they had laid more than thirty thousand miles of train track throughout the

By the middle of the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution was changing the face and culture of the United States. Demand for raw materials and new inventions was increasing. From 1800-1850, territories claimed by the United States had grown to stretch from the East Coast to the West Coast. The spirit of “Manifest Destiny”, the California Gold Rush, and the promise of rich new land, ripe with raw materials and opportunity drew settlers ever westward. Following the invention of the steam engine, trains were becoming very important to the expansion of civilization and its infrastructure. Trains and the railroads they ran on soon became the lifeblood of industrialized economic development across the country. Public and private partnerships were formed with railroad companies to provide them with vast amounts of investment funding. Within a few decades, the railroad companies and their transcontinental railroads ushered in the Gilded Age and changed American society forever.

The development of the railroads was the beginning of a new transport system in America, it connected the east and west, and the communication across the continent grew easier. With the railroads brought new life to deserted towns, people settled along the railways, it was faster for people to travel from one way to the next, it was cheaper, and it led to new industries in lead,coal, and

An astounding invention in the nineteenth century transformed America. Towns sprang up where only barren land had once been, families reconnected and and crossed the continent together, and immigrants poured into the Land of Opportunity. Few technological advancements had enough influence to impact so many people and places, but the Transcontinental Railroad was one of those rare cases. From 1863 to 1869, the Railroad expanded over the continent. This project had many unforeseen effects, whether social, economic, or political. The Transcontinental Railroad affected America the most socially by changing travel for the average American, uprooting the American Indians, and leading to more prejudice against immigrants.

The industrial revolution came about because of many variables: progresses in transportation and communications, the development of manufacturing innovation, the advancement of new frameworks of business association, and maybe most importantly, increases in population development. As far as population trends, America became more populous as the years went by. The population was about 4 million in 1790. By 1820, it had reached 10 million and 17 million by 1840. New developments in public health played an important role in the population growth. (Brinkley, 222) Railroads were a very efficient way of transportation. They got people and supplies to places faster than in previous times. The telegraph improved communication. Before the telegraph, communication over long distances could only happen in person. Without the railroads, the telegraph would not work because the wires of the telegraph ran along the railroad tracks and the telegraph offices were usually located in the railroad stations. (Brinkley,

The Transcontinental Railroad was one of the most ambitious engineering projects, economic stimulants, and efficient methods of transportation in the early United States. If completed, the United States would be truly be united from east to west. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the Transcontinental Railroad helped develop new opportunities for many aspects of American life.

Railroads became extremely popular in America in the 1800’s. The railroad industry itself began to boom; it was supported by its reputation for speed and efficiency. But, along with the booming industry of railroads came the strong debate that

Mark Twain once called Industrialization an, “Era of incredible Rottenness.” Industrialization had both negative effects and positive effects on city life. While big businesses thrived, the gap between the rich and poor grew larger day by day. Progressive reformers sought to close this gap and bring together the nation.

There is no question that the Industrial Revolution had an enormous impact on American society between 1870 and 1940, but the question is what kind of an impact did it have during this period. The overall effect of the Industrial Revolution turned out to be a positive push towards modernization in America. As Stephen Gardiner, a British architect and writer during the 20th century, said, “The Industrial Revolution was another one of those extraordinary jumps forward in the story of civilization.” While Gardiner hit the nail on the head with his quote, the part of the story that most people tend to forget is just how quickly we Americans, made that extraordinary jump forward. There were Americans, who, at one point in their life were