The Second Industrial Revolution

After Reconstruction, the makeup of American life changed dramatically with the Second Industrial Revolution. The Second Industrial Revolution was driven by rise of the patented inventions and the formation of corporations. Many of these corporations were bought out by a few wealthy men to form trusts. These trusts such as the Carnegie Steel Company and Standard Oil Company were essentially monopolies that controlled the economy and politics. This rise of big business from 1870 to 1900 was achieved through powerful economic influence and corrupt political acts that affected laborers, immigrants, and families across America.
Big business in America originally stemmed from a government trying to regulate a growing economy. This initially began
For instance, the Haymarket bombing in 1886 was conducted by anarchist, yet unionists were blamed for it. Even courts rule against unions because they needed money from businessmen for elections. This forced both skilled and unskilled workers to live under poor conditions and in over-crowded neighborhoods. Many of the laborers were first or second generation immigrants who create urban borderlands. They were divided by religion, race, or nationality, and the older generation of immigrants often resisted integration. On the contrary, the younger generation tried to assimilate because they had to integrate. This created a generation gap. With the crowded neighborhoods and poor conditions, poverty and crime were not uncommon. Gangs formed, similar to the West, to take laws into their own hands. Immigrants were frequently blamed for gang and criminal activity, however, it was poverty brought on by poor economic conditions for the working class that caused the crime. These poor economic and political conditions tie back to the influence of big business throughout
With improved efficiency, allocation of resources, and greater output per input, big business was able to make essential goods cheaper. From 1870 to 1899, food prices, fuel and lighting prices, and the cost of living index all declined. (Doc A) The improved agricultural innovations lowered the price of food, but this caused farmers to become distraught since they didn’t make as much or enough money. Mining and lighting innovations such as the light bulb by Thomas Edison reduced the prices for fuel and money since lighting allowed for day and night production to occur. With longer shifts and night shifts, production increased and thus lowered the price of commodities for consumers. This is also related to economies of scale where the prices of goods decrease as the size of a firm increases. Additionally, not all big business leaders were completely selfish. Some believed in charity and viewed wealth as a means of philanthropy. Document E provides an excerpt from “Wealth” by Andrew Carnegie, leader of Carnegie Steel Corporation. He believes people with wealth should “set an example of modest, unostentatious living, shunning display or extravagance; to provide moderately for the legitimate wants of those dependent upon him.” (Doc. E). Simply, a man of wealth becomes “the mere agent and trustee for his poorer brethren, bringing to their service his superior wisdom, experience, and ability to administer, doing for them