Mr.Gatti APUSH Essay
Question: To what extent did changes in popular culture, such as the growth of the popular press and increased leisure time and sports activities, reflect the changes in American society from 1865 to 1900? Changes in popular culture, such as the growth of the popular press and increased leisure time and sports activities, reflect the changes in American society from 1865 to 1900. Between 1865 and 1900, American industry workers experienced both good and hard times. Labor Unions were forming, and these new creations often produced better lives for the workers. However, waves of immigrants were also coming into America, which resulted in the threat of jobs being unstable.
Labor Unions and Immigration both had moments effected upon the industry worker, for better or for worse. After the Civil War, which killed much of the working population, people began to appreciate their skills more and more due to the lack of human resources. Labor Unions began forming, demanding better pay, hours, and conditions. Labor Unions did receive some of what they bargained for. The National Labor Union fought for the negotiation of industrial disputes and the eight hour workday. They were able to win the eight hour workday.
The impact of these changes in lifestyle was reflected in both the serious and popular literature of the time, which emphasized realism and targeted the growing middle class.
The impact of mass production. Mass production changed the way Americans dressed, shopped, and ate. After the Civil War, handmade clothing quickly gave way to ready-to-wear clothes sold through retail outlets. But people did not have to live in large cities or even visit the stores themselves to buy what they needed.
In the late nineteenth century, American society was