Effects Of The Antebellum Era

Today, the United States is a powerful, maybe even the most powerful, nation in the world. Yet, the United States is a much younger country compared to other world leaders. The Antebellum Era was the first transitional period that helped caused the country’s rapid upward mobility. From 1815 to 1850, this era included a mass western expansion due to an development of transportation and communication. In addition, the new transportation networks exhibit the dramatic expansion of manufacturing and industry. While the new transportation allowed people to move west, the new population created jobs and opportunities for themselves. During the Antebellum Era, immigration, the Industrial Revolution, and labor unions helped create and boost the

The development of the American market economy at this time encouraged increasing factories, manufacturing, and commercial farming. As a result, cities in the northeast grew rapidly, and people started to move west. Northern business owners needed unskilled, cheap labor for the large scale industries, so they recruited many immigrants who were willing to work for low wages. Irish and German immigrants were the main groups that came to America during this time period. The Irish were very poor, and many Irish men worked dangerous jobs in the mines. While living in mine towns, Irish families experienced poor conditions and monopolizing company stores. These lives they led did not follow the “American Dream” narrative (starting at the bottom, working, and reaching success) as these immigrants hoped. Though German immigrants possessed more skill for certain occupations, Germans underwent similar discrimination; many citizens alright living in the country thought immigrants were trying to steal American jobs; therefore, immigrants were often denied jobs. Because of this belief, nativist groups, such as the Know-Nothing party, became apparent in the American society. There were religious hostilities against immigrants and fears of socialism and communism arising. Though tensions rose, the United States’ population grew, and the immigrants’ labor helped advance

The Industrial Revolution led to new innovations that caused a mass industrialization and urbanization progression, which promoted large-scale manufacturing and factories to spread. This positively led to the creation of new products and jobs. The increase of jobs drew in many immigrants, which diversified the American society. Immigrants worked in mines and factories and supported the economy. However, many Americans discriminated against the immigrants, and employers took advantage of the immigrants willing to work for cheap wages. The working conditions for immigrants were horrid, but workers did not want to speak out in fear. Therefore, labor unions consisting of mainly immigrants formed to stand up for their rights. In result, the United States started to develop into a modern world leader during this period. The advancements during the Antebellum period, with the diversity of citizens and improving economy, caused other countries began to notice the economical success in America, though this success had its harmful