Unit 5: Topic 9 - Society and the Industrial Age Flashcards
Working Class
The working class, the poorest and lowest in the social hierrchy, comprised of laborers who didn’t possess any properties or capital and sold their labor to make a living. They took over factory jobs which requied physical labor as opposed to skills. Wages were kept low, and factory workers were replaceable.
Middle Class
Above the working class was the middle class. The middle class is a social class comprised of skilled workers, professionals, business people, and wealthy farmers. They assumed occupations such as merchants, shopkeepers, and accountants.
White-Collar Workers
White-Collar Workers are middle-class workers who work in an office. This term came from old times when office workers usually wore white-collar shirts at work.
Child Labor
Child labor is the practice of using children as workers, servants, or apprentices. Many factory owners preferred using children as laborers because children could be paid less, and they were less likely to organize labor unions due to their inexperience. Also, their small size allowed them to fit through tight spaces. Since many children, especially those from proletariats, were working in factories or industries, not many were educated.
Working Class Women During Industrial Revolution
Due to the rise in production, the need for manual labor rose. Meaning both women and kids were allowed to enter the workforce. Many working women at the time took part in Power Loom Weaving and coal mines; however, women were paid approximately 1/3 of the wages men were paid. This still didn’t change the fact that women were still expected to be the caretaker of the household. They were still expected to educate the children and perform other household needs such as cleaning and cooking.
Cult of Domesticity
The cult of domesticity was a view that was primarily prevalent in the upper and middle classes. It was the belief that the ideal woman was a tender, self-sacrificing caregiver who provided a nest for her children and a peaceful refuge for her husband. This stereotype envisioned how middle and upper-class women were supposed to act during the Industrial Revolution (since they were not working in factories), pressuring them to manage the household, care for children, and be obedient.
How did the Industrial Revolution contribute to feminism?
When men went to work, women who remained home gained new freedom. For instance, women attended the Seneca Falls convention in New York to advocate the belief that women should have as many rights as men.
Overcrowding
Factories and cities attracted immigrants from all over the world as they hoped to obtain a better life and a stable source of income. As a result, massive amounts of people came to cities, but there was a limited amount of housing. The government had to add many unplanned buildings to accommodate the rising amount of people. As a result, many workers were housed in cramped quarters.
Cholera
Water pollution intensified during the Industrial Revolution when factories began releasing pollutants directly into rivers and streams. Since many people relied on river water as their source of drinking water, the disease spread rapidly once the people ingested the contaminated water.
Tenement
Tenements are apartment house complexes where immigrants with low wages can rent and live in. The conditions of tenements were unsanitary and overcrowded, resulting in pollution. Sickness would spread quickly with so many people living in a confined area.
Slum
A slum is a densely populated area of substandard housing, usually in the city, notorious for overcrowded, unsanitary, and squalid living conditions. Tenements were located in slums where industrial by-products such as polluted water supplies and open sewers were very common.
How did the Industrial Revolution led to an increase in crimes?
The increasing population after 1750 means many more potential offenders and victims. The growth of industries and trade meant that there were more goods for people to steal. And since cities were usually crowded, assault and theft became more common.
