In the 19th century, between 1820s and 1860s, numerous events happened leading to drastic change in social, economic and cultural activities in America thus causing the second revolution to occur.
Furthermore, this era was marked with development in technology .For instance, the introduction of mechanized cotton spinning driven by steam or by water increased the production of the industries, since the cotton gin increased the speed of removing seed from cotton. Again, there was a new technology in iron making where coke was used instead of charcoal. With this technological improvement many people were eagerly ready to adopt and use them in their various works. For instance the invention and use of telegram was received by many thus making its use to have effects on many people. Consequently, the effects made people to get more of the technology leading to the second revolution.
Again, the panic of 1837 had a serious consequence on the economy which later resulted in second revolution. At this time, business house failed in America and many banks were closed down as the result of shock from inflation. The economy experience price inflation where prices reached a trough of eighty two percent. Many people lost faith in banking their money due to loses they got as a result of closure of the banks. However, inflation benefited the production sector, employments and trade since there was more in the economy to carry these activities hence influencing people’s attitude to invest in various business thus resulting in the rise of second revolution.
Development in agriculture made a greater change in the people’s attitude and how they looked at sector in general hence leading to the occurrence of the second revolution in America. The invention of various machines such seed drill and threshing machine and new methods of farming brought freedom to farmers to stop working in other sectors of the economy. Seed drill was a mechanical seeder that ensured that seeds are equally distributed across a plot of land and planted at the same time at the required depth (Faragher). Threshing machine helped to displace the hand threshing resulting into a huge increase of agricultural produce hence changing people’s view that agriculture was a hard job, consequently leading to the second revolution.
On the other hand, second revolution also occurred as a result of social changes that took place that turned peoples view hence the revolution. For instance, there was the serious hunger beak up that affected everyone in the society (Boyer). Consequently, of attitudes everyone in the society changed. They began to look for various ways of solving problem. They engaged in trade with other communities. Through trade, they were able to meet with various people with from a different place hence they adopted other means of livelihood such as fishing. They also learned new cultures which emphasized on hard work hence making them to change completely from their ways of lives and culture’ hence leading to the development of the second revolution.
Secondly, this revolution was also caused by new labor laws which ensure people were adequately paid and worked for a short time. These new laws regarding labor changed people’s attitude towards employment. This was because, in early days, People were faced with harsh working conditions including cruel child labor and even long working hours (Little, 2013).Industries failed to look at the rights of their employees as they paid very low salaries and wages while the workers work for long hours. Consequently, people rebelled and began forcing the government to come up with new laws to curb this evil. As a result, new working hours and better payment were adopted thus changing their attitudes leading to the second revolution.
Introduction of better health care facilities during this time had a significant influence on people thus making them to fight for second revolution. New improvement in healthcare increased people life expectancy as compared to the passed where they were faced with poor health conditions. There was the lack of proper health facilities to combat various diseases that were affecting them. Hence, they began to carry invention so as to come up with drugs and medicines to treat the people. As a result of their quest resulted the developments which changed their lives completely hence leading to the second revolution.
On another side, the second revolution in America was also caused by cultural changes that occurred and completely changed the lives and attitude of people. Women rebellion on cult of domesticity greatly changed the society. This culture stated that the home was the sphere of a woman. Women were required to inhibit the private place, running the households, rearing children and taking care of the husband. This culture observed women as piety and submissive. The cult of domesticity greatly affected women s labor market since they were not to participate in any job market. Consequently, the rebellions lead to abolition of this culture and thus allowing women to have freedom and getting employment. As a result of the of the rebellion peoples view about women changed hence the rise of second revolution.
Furthermore, the abolition of glass ceiling culture changed people’s attitude toward race and women in the society. The barrier that existed and kept particular group of people from rising to the top leadership positions regardless of their qualifications was removed hence allowing everyone to have equal opportunity. Consequently, everyone could be employed and promoted without discrimination hence the rise of second revolution.
Conclusion
In summary, the second revolution occurred as a result of various social cultural and economic events which had significant effects on people’s attitude thus making them.
Works Cited
Boyer, Paul S. The Enduring Vision. Lexington, Mass.: D.C. Heath, 1990. Print.
Faragher, John Mack. Out of Many. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2000. Print.
Johnson, Paul. A History of The American People. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 1998. Print.
