What were some major changes in living and working conditions as a result of the Industrial Revolution?

The Industrial Revolution began in America in the 1790s. Over the next four decades, the American economy became increasingly mechanised with production moving from the country to the rapidly-expanding towns and cities. This had a dramatic impact on the way that people lived and worked. It brought about the rise of the factory system, for example, where work was performed on a large scale in a single location. Factory work also led to the ...

The Industrial Revolution began in America in the 1790s. Over the next four decades, the American economy became increasingly mechanised with production moving from the country to the rapidly-expanding towns and cities. This had a dramatic impact on the way that people lived and worked. It brought about the rise of the factory system, for example, where work was performed on a large scale in a single location. Factory work also led to the rise of wage labour, but the low wages and long hours of the factories exploited workers. Over the course of the century, the trade unions and strike action would become a common feature of industrial life. 

As people flocked to the towns and cities for work, many of them lived in cramped and overcrowded conditions. Slums were rife in cities like New York and exacerbated by a population boom and the high number of immigrants who came to America in the 1800s. (The population of America quadrupled between 1814 and 1860, to over 31 million people.)

Of course, there were some people who benefited from the Industrial Revolution. Many merchants and bankers became extremely wealthy from these new methods of production. People also enjoyed the abundance of manufactured good which were available to purchase. But it is important to remember that not everybody shared in these financial and cultural successes.