Changing Frontiers (Chapter 7)

The expansion within the United States towards the West was not the only growth the nation experienced after the Civil War. An explosion of new ideas led to revolutionary technologies and new standards of living – wealth and urbanization made their way into the United States’ normalcy. However, its repercussions were not only confined in the good and prosperous. Harsh conditions for workers, the gap between the rich and the poor widened tremendously, violent strikes in favor of the workers, the near destruction of Native American tribes for territory, and political corruption accompanied the country in their new, burgeoning years. Progress and movement and all its rewards would come at a price.

                Before the Civil War the ideas of indoor electric lighting, refrigeration, and efficient communications were not something citizens could get themselves to even imagine – a matter soon to be changed after the 1790-1860 flood of ideas and inventions. Investors and business leaders placed their hopes and trust in these, bettering the living standards in the US. As new fuels, transportation methods, railroad systems, and architectural monuments were accomplished, the business industry did too; concepts such as monopolies, cartels, trust, horizontal consolidation, and vertical consolidation incremented the competitive nature as well as business creation. All which lead to the importance of workers.

                Workers suffered tremendously during this time period. Hardships not only affected their physical health, but also their emotional and social wellbeing. Wages were low, treatment was merciless, even children were forced to play a part. This unfair environment lead to the creation of unions – groups made of employees to ensure rightful treatment. Clearly, employers were not in favor if said groups – taking measures such as firing members or contract signing in path of never being involved in such activities. This solved nothing. In 1877 the Railroad Strike triggered multiple uprising throughout the nation. Including the major role of political radicals called anarchists to continue the labor unrest as far as 1892.

                Livelihood in the west wasn’t exactly ideal either. As settlers began to move towards the unconquered lands of the United States greatly thanks to the Morrill Land-Grand and Homestead Act that offered large amounts of lands, they encountered a life they hadn’t faced for decades. It was one filled with difficult work and cooperation; they were building upwards from nothing. Difficulty also lay in the amounts of Native American presence in those lands. The United States settlers were unforgiving with the natives; they brutally removed nearly all their numbers, and commenced a battle between the two races. Even though an agreement was reached, the settlers still had the upper hand, and the Natives had to move on with small areas of land. Farmers took technology with them, technology that would soon lead to reformation of ranching and mining industries. Things declined when tariffs and deflation came into the picture. Farmers had to take measures – populists, those who actively supported the circulation of money, launched new reforms that shifted the course of US history.

                This economic hardship expanded and affected politics, immigration, and urban life. The unfair business practices, the division between democrats and republicans on issues, and ineffective institution of reforms to end corruption were present in politics. While, as immigrants began to become more and more allured to the country, cities expanded. However, this expansion was overpopulated, lacking control and, thus, corrupt. Reforms were made to try to balk illegal immigration and helping the needy through charities.

                Growth in a country is not something that can be utterly controlled and predicted. As much as the results can favor and progress, so can they hurt and digress. The technologies that flourished after the Civil War were extraordinary to say the least – such a development of ideas and creativity had not been witnessed before. However, when it came to business, politics, economy, and worker welfare – well, that had another light. The government tried its best to better situations, and then there were civilians who took matters in their hands and decided to become their own helping hand. Revolts, reforms, poverty, striving; all at once in a nation searching to grow. 

Chinese immigrants arriving to the United States.