Industrialization during the late 1800s contributed to the development of organized labor because it

37. Organized Labor

In the mid-19th century, the vast majority of American work was still done on the farm. By the turn of the 20th century, the United States economy revolved around the factory.

Most Americans living in the Gilded Age knew nothing of the millions of Rockefeller, Carnegie and Morgan. They worked 10 hour shifts, 6 days a week, for wages barely enough to survive. Children as young as eight years old worked hours that kept them out of school. Men and women worked until their bodies could stand no more, only to be released from employment without retirement benefits. Medical coverage did not exist. Women who became pregnant were often fired. Compensation for being hurt while on the job was zero.

Come Together

Soon laborers realized that they must unite to demand change. Even though they lacked money, education, or political power, they knew one critical thing. There were simply more workers than there were owners.

Unions did not emerge overnight. Despite their legal rights to exist, bosses often took extreme measures, including intimidation and violence, to prevent a union from taking hold. Workers, too, often chose the sword when peaceful measures failed.

Many Americans believed that a violent revolution would take place in America. How long would so many stand to be poor? Industrial titans including John Rockefeller arranged for mighty castles to be built as fortresses to stand against the upheaval they were sure was coming.

Slowly but surely unions did grow. Efforts to form nationwide organizations faced even greater difficulties. Federal troops were sometimes called to block their efforts. Judges almost always ruled in favor of the bosses.

Illinois Labor History Society

Chicago "Anarchists." In 1886, protesting for an 8-hour work day led to the Haymarket Riot.

The workers often could not agree on common goals. Some flirted with extreme ideas like Marxism. Others simply wanted a nickel more per hour. Fights erupted over whether or not to admit women or African Americans. Immigrants were often viewed with hostile eyes. Most did agree on one major issue — the eight-hour day. But even that agreement was often not strong enough glue to hold the group together.

Organized labor has brought tremendous positive change to working Americans. Today, many workers enjoy higher wages, better hours, and safer working conditions. Employers often pay for medical coverage and several weeks vacation. Jobs and lives were lost in the epic struggle for a fair share. The fight sprouted during the Gilded Age, when labor took its first steps toward unity. It began with the Great Upheaval.

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What Was the Industrial Revolution?

The Industrial Revolution was a period of major industrialization and innovation during the late 1700s and early 1800s. The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain and quickly spread throughout the world.

The American Industrial Revolution, sometimes referred to as the Second Industrial Revolution, started around the 1870s and proceeded through World War II. This period saw the mechanization of agriculture and textile manufacturing and a revolution in power and transportation, including steamships, railroads, and airplanes, that affected social, cultural, and economic conditions.

Key Takeaways

• The first industrial revolution began in Great Britain in the 1700s and 1800s and was a time of significant innovation.
• The American Industrial Revolution followed in the late 19th century and was an engine of economic growth in the U.S.
• The Industrial Revolution led to inventions that included the assembly line, telegraph, steam engine, sewing machine, and internal combustion engine.
• Working for businesses during the Industrial Revolution paid better wages than agricultural work.
• The increase in the number of factories and migration to the cities led to pollution, deplorable working and living conditions, and child labor.

Understanding the Industrial Revolution

Although the Industrial Revolution occurred approximately 200 years ago, it is a period that left a profound impact on how people lived and the way businesses operated. Arguably, the factory systems developed during the Industrial Revolution are responsible for creating capitalism and the modern cities of today.

Before this period, most households made their living farming and lived primarily in small, rural communities. With the advent of factories during the 18th century, people began working for companies located in urban areas for the first time. Often the wages were low, and conditions were harsh. However, working for such businesses still paid a better living than farming.

Production efficiency improved during the Industrial Revolution with inventions such as the steam engine. The steam engine dramatically reduced the time it took to manufacture products. More efficient production subsequently reduced prices for products, primarily due to lower labor costs, opening the marketing doors to a new level of customers.

The industrial revolution developed in conjunction with the capitalist economies. Under capitalism, business owners (capitalists) began to organize labor centrally into factories and introduced a division of labor to increase output and profitability. Compared to the craft and guild systems the preceded it, capitalist production incentivized technological change and innovation at an unprecedented rate.

The Industrial Revolution was driven, in part, by the adoption of coal as an energy source. Before the use of coal, wood was the primary energy source; coal provided three times more energy than wood, and Britain had large coal deposits.

Special Considerations

The industrial revolution was not always organic or directed alone by free market forces. The United States government, for instance, helped domestic industry at the time by instituting tariffs—taxes on foreign imported goods—so that products like steel made by U.S. companies were cheaper than foreign imports. Cheaper steel prices encouraged the development of infrastructure such as railroads and bridges during the American Industrial Revolution.

Advantages of Industrialization

The Industrial Revolution created an increase in employment opportunities. Wages at factories were higher than what individuals were making as farmers. As factories became widespread, additional managers and employees were required to operate them, increasing the supply of jobs and overall wages.

Since most of the factories and large companies were located near the cities, populations migrated to urban areas searching for jobs, often overwhelming the available housing supply. This led to significant improvements in city planning.

Increased innovation also led to higher levels of motivation and education, resulting in several groundbreaking inventions still used today. These inventions include the sewing machine, X-ray, lightbulb, calculator, and anesthesia.

Due to the Industrial Revolution's advancements, the nation saw the first combustible engine, incandescent light bulb, and modern assembly line used in manufacturing. The Industrial Revolution changed how people worked, the technologies available to them, and often where they lived. It made life comfortable for many though living conditions for workers remained abhorrent, which eventually fueled the rise of labor unions that led to improved working conditions and fair wages.

Disadvantages of Industrialization

Although there were numerous advancements during the Industrial Revolution, rapid progress caused many issues. As workers left their farms to work in factories for higher wages, it led to a shortage of food being produced.

The sharp increase in the number of factories led to an increase in urban pollution. Pollution wasn't contained only in the factories; as people flocked to the cities, the living conditions became deplorable as the urban resources were overwhelmed.

Sewage flowed in the streets in some cities while manufacturers dumped waste from factories into rivers. Water supplies were not tested and protected as they are today. As a result, regulations, and laws were enacted to protect the population.

The Industrial Revolution provided an incentive to increase profits, and as a result, working conditions in factories deteriorated. Long hours, inadequate remuneration, and minimal breaks became the norm. Child labor was a significant issue. Health issues arose for many of the factory workers giving rise to the labor movement throughout the U.S.

Pros

• Advancements in production

• Growth in innovations and inventions

• Workers earned higher wages

• Improvements in transportation networks

Cons

• Deplorable working conditions and child labor

• Unsanitary living conditions and pollution

• Food shortages

Examples

The first cotton mill was built after Samuel Slater brought Britain's manufacturing technology to the United States. The mill was powered by water bringing jobs and commerce to the Northeast. In the following years, many factories and mills were built using the same technologies.

In 1869, the first transcontinental railroad was completed and was a major accomplishment for the U.S. since it allowed the transportation of goods, people, and raw materials nationwide.

Also, during the American Industrial Revolution, Samuel Morse created the telegraph, which sent electric signals over a wire allowing the nation to communicate. Andrew Carnegie built the first steel mills in the U.S. while Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.

How Is the Industrial Revolution Best Defined?

The Industrial Revolution shifted from an agrarian economy to a manufacturing economy where products were no longer made solely by hand but by machines. This led to increased production and efficiency, lower prices, more goods, improved wages, and migration from rural areas to urban areas.

When Was the Industrial Revolution?

The first Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain in the mid-to-late 1700s when innovation led to goods being produced in large quantities due to machine manufacturing. This spread around the globe, and the Second Industrial Revolution began in the U.S. in the late 1800s that saw further advancements in technology that led to greater efficiency.

What 3 Things Played a Role in the Industrial Revolution?

Technological changes, such as the use of iron and steel, new energy sources such as coal and steam, and the factory system, led to a division of labor and specialization, which increased efficiency.

What Were the Most Important Inventions of the Industrial Revolution?

Among the most important inventions of the first Industrial Revolution include the steam engine, the spinning jenny, cotton gin, and the telegraph. This was followed by the second Industrial Revolution, which saw the advent of the internal combustion engine, controlled electricity, and the lightbulb.

Why did industrialization lead to organized labor?

Why was the formation of labor unions an effect of US industrialization in the late 1800's?

What factors contributed to industrialization in the late 1800s?

How did industrialization contribute to the rise of organized labor unions?