The Industrial Revolution caused increased change in America’s lifestyles, however those that lived in Appalachian regions were often less inclined to assimilate to these changes than other areas of the country. The areas of Appalachia include, “West Virginia, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Tennessee.” Although most commonly when speaking about Appalachia the areas of eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina are the area’s most commonly associated with the term. These mountainous areas often cut off residents from civilization leaving an area that was far less technologically advanced than the rest of the Untitled States. Throughout this paper I endeavor to explore the impact isolation had on pre-modern Appalachian life.
The Reality of Mountain Life
The people of Appalachia often used nature to their benefit. Hunting, fishing, and living off the land and its natural resources were common practice. Most of their possessions were hand made. Their talented craftsmanship was one spurned from necessity. Extreme isolation made it difficult to receive manufactured goods.
Often there is a very negative representation of Appalachian life to outsiders. Appalachian residents were often stereotyped as hillbillies, people with no ambition, or hermits who stay away from civilizations. This however was not case for many Appalachians, most simply made the best with the environment they were given, acting on generations of teachings. Pre-modern Appalachian people in reality were very resourceful and have a tight knit community, even if it is small. Family values and traditions are or paramount importance to their cultural upbringing.
Traditional and Pre-modern Values
A good deal of the values held by Appalachians is a result of religion. Southern Baptist beliefs have colored their lifestyle dramatically. The majority of Appalachians use the commandments of the Bible as a basis for their beliefs. Most also identified with Christian beliefs. Family values are also very important, often homes are comprised of several generations. Appalachian people value their elders and usually had them live with them in one home. Farms are usually passed down generational. Families usually remain close by. Neighbors are respected and considered valuable trading partners and help.
Most people now consider themselves pre-modern. In pre-modern culture, one typically has ample access to manufactured goods, has modern technology, and progressive stances on religion and values. I would, like most Americans, consider myself pre-modern even though this is not the case for many Appalachians.
Economic Pressures
The Appalachians are primarily rural, and farming was the source of most families’ income. The life of Appalachian residents often puts them in a state of financial disadvantage. Changes in employment patterns, the requirements for extensive education, and changes in household structure may have contributed to financial inequality (Gorman). The working and middle class Appalachians tended to work longer hours, be in heavy debt, unable to save, and could not always afford necessary healthcare (Gorman).
As times change, so does Appalachian life. Thus the income is impacted by these developments. The cost of living has gone up, yet minimum wage has changed very little. Gender differences have also risen. More women are taking part in the work force, even though there still remains a big gender gap in relation to the salaries of men and women. In pre-modern Appalachian life very few women would work outside the home.
Because most rely on farms, seasonal changes, weather, and labor shortages can affect the income a family brings in. Most Appalachians make up for the lack of income by using the items they grow, craft, or kill instead of spending money on store bought goods.
Transportation
Because of its mountainous terrain, transportation was often difficult. Traversing the terrain required sturdy equipment and what few roads they had were treacherous. In the late 1800’s, Appalachia was finally linked by railroad affording easier travel. Most roads and railroads were put in more accessible areas, requiring passes or gaps in order to traverse the mountain.
Houses and Standards of Living
Education is also a big concern when talking about standard of living (Sanders). Once again we see the impact of social standing. Areas with a higher percentage of poverty often have poorer education systems. Few completed their education in these impoverished areas, suggesting that the education systems available in these areas are not the quality of public education provided to wealthier counterparts (Sanders). In a society where education is needed to earn better wages, many are caught in an unending circle of not being able to afford school to provide for themselves.
Education plays a big role on how much an employee earns. Income increases with the amount of education an employee has. This creates a gap between those with higher education and those who do not. Appalachian people often had little opportunity to obtain a good education putting them at a distinct disadvantage (Sullen) . Isolation made it difficult for children to attend schools.
Houses typically reflected the environment. The area was plentiful with timber, so log homes were common in pre-modern Appalachian. Most of the houses were built by hand and relatively small by modern standards. Many generations often lived within one house without modern convenience. The houses were nearly always built with function in mind, meant to ward off weather and insect. There was little in the way of decorative elements, Nealry everything in an Appalachian home served a purpose and was typically handmade. Homes were small and often cramped but easier to manage than larger houses.
Family Life and the Role of Women
Families were often very large. Most families remained close, often having farms in close vicinity. Family was of upmost importance in a place where people where typically isolated from everyone except their own family (Sanders). Many generations worked together to care for the land and pass down local traditions. Often women worked to raise their children and worked long hours on the farm. The life of women was difficult, with little help except for family members they held a lot of responsibility in running the household. Most excelled at crafting, sewing, canning, and cooking. Learner reports, “The good news is that despite these hardships, families in the Appalachian region have been remarkably resilient. The proportion of married-couple families in Appalachia (combining those with or without children) exceeds the national average. Rates of homeownership in many counties are among the highest in the nation. Families in Appalachia have changed over time, but many of these changes can be viewed as adaptations to new economic realities and shifts in public policies especially welfare reform.”(Learner)
Church and Society
Health was a big concern for pre-modern Appalachia. Appalachia was far from the healthiest of regions (Gudrais )! Many couldn’t afford proper health care (Sanders). Doctors were far and few between, if one got ill it might be days before a doctor could arrive. Once again financial concerns also determined if you can afford to live or die. Few had the money to pay a doctor, perhaps not receiving treatment as a result. Some doctors invoked the barter system, trading their services for goods. This allowed some families to receive health care. This is an imperative insight into the Appalachian’s standard of living and why many found it lacking in reguards to today’s standards.
Education is also a big concern (Sanders). Once again we see the impact of social standing. Areas with a higher percentage of poverty often have poorer education systems. Few completed their education in these impoverished areas, suggesting that the education systems available in these areas are not the quality of public education provided to wealthier counterparts (Sanders). In a society where education is needed to earn better wages, many are caught in an unending circle of not being able to afford school to provide for themselves. Spirituality and religion affect Appalachia tremendously. Most present a very strong belief system. To those with a strong system of beliefs they are often present in their everyday life. Farley states, “Within the Baptist movement, this resulted in some, mostly town, churches where the modern American culture and its values prevailed. And even among Southern Baptist churches in Appalachia, the presence of a framed copy of the standard Church Covenant may well be a marker of a congregation where significant elements of the pre-modern culture can still be found in the life and practice of the church.”
Traditional Life
I feel that there are many things we can learn from those in Pre-Modern Appalachia. Their devotion to tradition and values is something to be commended. They didn’t complain about the things they were unable to have but instead endeavored to make the most of what they had. They were very devoted to their family and worked hard to maintain close bonds. Heritage was important and beliefs passed down from generation to generation. Some may say that this makes them very isolated and not diverse, but I also feel that it has some benefits in building a strong sense of cultural identity.
There are some draw backs to isolation such as a lack of proper education and the inability to obtain goods or medical services. Travel was dangerous and scares. Farming and mining is a hard way of life requiring long hours and subject to any variety of factors that can make a farm either a success or failure from season to season. Those in Appalachia often had shorter life spans because of the hard labor and inability to receive medical care (Wall) .
In conclusion, isolation was a key concept in understanding pre modern Appalachian life, but with their strong will power and devotion to survival pre-modern Appalachians were masters at living off the land and developing a cultural identity that worked within this form of isolation. By understanding these traditional values, modern civilizations may learn a valuable lesson about perseverance and family values that have been lost by some in recent years.
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