Chapter 18

The transformation from working in a workshop to a factory was really hard for some to adjust to. Before the time of factories products were created by artisans who spent all their time on just one shoe and it was a form of art to them. With the change to factories products were created by anyone and now jobs were separated between multiple workers who each made a different part of the product. As time progressed factories filled with more and more unskilled workers such as women and children because they were okay with being paid less than other skilled workers. Working conditions in factories were also horrible. In the railroad industry 2,000 were killed during this time and 20,000 were injured. In the coal mining industry, workers often became infected with the black lung disease. Immigrants did not mind to work in these conditions because they were more desperate for work than others.
In these factories management was very manipulative. Many factories supplied housing for workers so that if they stopped working they would be evicted and homeless, so they thought this was a way of keeping them from leaving. Your color of skin determined where in Europe you were from and how you should be treated.

Chapter 19

Urbanization in America caused social change amongst citizens. With the new prosperity citizens were now able to enjoy more luxuries. One of these luxuries included Department stores. Middle and working class would go to department stores to buy luxuries that showed their wealth and social class. Department stores also offered women entertainment and adventure that they before could not experience because they had to work long days. Another thing that progressed in this time was education. Very few before this time even had a high school education. Higher education became so popular during this time because it showed you had money and where your social standing was. As time progressed schools because more and more available to citizens. Women now could attend colleges and some colleges were even made for just women.

It is crazy to think that once there was a time that education was not important and was just luxury. Today if you say your not going to college or doing anything past high school you get frowned at.

primary source. the 60s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUc2eLe-ruI


I wanted to watch something about the sixties, because i think the sixties was the most culture changing time in American History. It was a time where many citizens who's opinions were once over ruled by authority now spoke up and fought for change. During the 60's there was a war going on in Vietnam, African Americans were fighting for equality, youth fought for peace and change, and students fought for changes as well. it was a time of empowerment and change. I find this time in America so interesting because before the 60's most just followed the social norm and how society always was. Now the norm was to go against the culture they grew up in. The Youth of the 60's have shaped society so much today. The 60s showed that youth could make a difference and could cause change. If the 60's never happened i think culture would be so different today. Youth would continue to be under authority and never argue for what they want, and i think that is an important part of today, being able to be who you want and how you want to be.

Chapter 24

Franklin Roosevelt was the best president possible during a time of need. Franklin Roosevelt had always had it all, until he became paralyzed one day. After endless Therapy he was able to get back into politics again. Being once paralyzed made him and much more down to earth, compassionate and understanding polititcian than any politician before. I think that is the reason, he was the best president possible to get the country out of the Depression.

Because of his understanding of being helpless i think that he had strong compassion and relatable feelings towards those hit hard by the depression. Because of this care for the people hit hard by the depression, he set up The Social Security Act which reached out to those who were unemployed, suffering old age, or disabled. this established the federal responsibly over the welfare of people. FDRs compassion to the helpless created something great that is still used today. If we did not, have Social Security today so many would suffer and be be struggling, especially when the economy hit us hard a few years ago.

Chapter 17

This chapter was very hard for me to read. I always knew that European settlers we're horrible to natives but I never really realized how horrible they were. Plains Indians relied on bison and migrated with bison to provide food for them. Native Americans had been living by this concept for many generations. But when Europeans settlers came they began to kill the bison dramatically to provide for the market. Many army commanders encouraged the mad killing of bison because it would help undermine Indian resistance to become civilized. Then the fort Laramie treaty was created which was a treaty that removed plains Indians to reservations where they would try and civilize the Indians. One chief was able to remain on his land, sitting bull. He was one of the few native Americans that defeated George Armstrong clusters force. This was a big event for native Americans.  Shortly later the Dawes severalty act was placed which was another attempted at civilizing Indians. This act distributed land amongst Indians which was once their land, in hopes that they would leave there nomadic ways. It didn't stop there the last final event against the plains Indians was the killing of Sitting bull And then the battle at wounded knee where 300 Indians were massacred. I cannot believe what settlers put native Americans through. It was there land first it's horrible that it was taken so violently.