Industrial Revolutions (Francis Cabot Lowell) Among many factors that contributed towards making America great, the early industrialization of this country was probably the most important one. By introducing innovative industrial technologies early in 19th century, the American commercial elite of the time was able to turn United States into fully industrialized nation by the year 1860. It is practically impossible for any researcher of this period in the history of United States, to skip mentioning the role of Francis Cabot Lowell in deploying new manufacturing concepts on his textile mills, which were adopted by other American manufactures within very short time. Francis Cabot Lowell (1775-1817) was born in Newburyport in the family of judge John Lowell on April 7, 1775. He graduated at Harvard in 1793. After becoming a merchant in Boston, he went to England on several occasions, prior to the outbreak of 1812 war with England. There he discovered that many textile manufactures were using a new weaving system, when the whole manufacturing process was being done in one factory. This was unheard of in America at the time. Upon returning back home, Lowell decided to adopt the same practice on the new cotton mill that he was going to establish in Waltham.
Yet, he didnt understand the design of weaving machines that he saw in England, so he just described his visual impressions to his friend Paul Moody, who was a mechanic It marked the beginning of American modern textile industry. There is no doubt that Lowell would be totally in favor of the concept of Industrial Revolution, in contemporary sense of this word. At the beginning of 19th century, just like in our times, the economical trends used to define a socio-political situation in every particular country, long before these trends were being incorporated into economical theory. It is important to understand that Lowell had not only introduced the use of machines in textile industry, but he also formulated the whole new manufacturing philosophy. His role in American economy of the time can be compared to the role of Henry Ford, who introduced the principle of conveyor assembly. As a matter of fact, Lowell can be consider as Fords predecessor, because he applied a strict division of labor in his textile mills.
The Essay on American Industrial Revolution
The growth in large-scale industry and labor unions in the second half of the nineteenth century can be explained in many ways. Unlike earlier in the century, now there were broad markets, fast expansion in good economic times, thus causing a rise in demand for more goods. Additionally, new inventions with development in big business caused large scale industrialization to become possible. Lastly, ...
The task performed by each worker required a little professionalism, on his or her part. Nevertheless, Lowells cloth had much better quality, comparing to his competitors, which enabled him to easily enter the highly competitive U.S. textile market with the line of his products. Lowell began selling cloth at 25 cents a yard, after his first factory in Waltham became operational in 19814. Although it was more expensive than British cloth, people still preferred buying Lowells product, as it was much more durable. industrial revolution resulted in developing new techniques to exploit workers to the full extent. From this prospective, Lowell appears to be nothing less but the establisher of what now refer to as corporate culture. He used to hire young women from the rural areas to work for his Boston Manufacturing Company.
It allowed him to cut the cost of production for one third, since these women were being paid a very low wages. Lowell used to attract the new recruits by offering them a cheep housing. He went even as far as building a church, in the immediate proximity of his mill in Massachusetts, where his workers could pray for the forgiveness of their sins, while being mercilessly exploited. In return, Lowell required his employees to work 12 hours a day, very often without providing them with any holidays. At the same time, he demanded the loyalty from his workers a practice that is being actively used by many contemporary companies like McDonalds, where employees are often asked to work extra hours when its needed, without getting paid. The only mean to encourage them to do so, is making such workers feel like they are the part of companys family Lowells brother in law Patrick Jackson showed his deep sense of sarcasm when he once said: One of the fundamentals of the mills would be that they were morally and intellectually upright (Dunwell, p.56) We cant imagine the modern industrys proper functioning if it wasnt sustained by financial investments. Such investments are mostly done through the system of stock exchanges. Yet, it was Lowells idea to finance the building of his first mill with deploying joint-stock arrangement plan, when buying the shares of his Boston Manufacturing Company would benefit anyone who could afford it. This was a truly innovative practice, we can say now that Boston Manufacturing was the American first public company.
The Essay on Unethical Advertising in Manufacturing Company
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It wouldnt much of exaggeration to suggest that it was Francis Cabot Lowell, who laid the foundation of American modern economy. Lowell was a typical representative of the new class of bourgeoisie. These people used to be known as highly industrious, yet almost altogether deprived of morals. Therefore, if Lowell were asked whether Industrial Revolution was beneficial to U.S., he would first consider its effect on its own enterprise, before answering this question. It is highly doubtful that he was concerned with anything else, except making more profits. The term of industrial revolution doesnt just stand for implementation of machinery in the process of manufacturing. As a matter of fact, it corresponds to the form of economic relations between citizens more then it does to anything else.
There were three the most powerful nations in the world at the beginning of 19th century Britain, France and U.S. Yet, the France was remaining largely a feudalistic country, right up to the reign of Napoleon. The inventor of ironclad Robert Fulton was unable to interest French politicians in his invention, while in United States it only took him a few weeks to find investors It is commonly accepted the industrial revolution had first taken place in England, but I think that it was the U.S., since scientific breakthroughs in Europe at the time very often used to undermine the principles of social order, while in America people were always ready to accept new ideas, for as long as they allowed them to come up with more profit. The most radical proponents of Age of Reason in Europe were still mentally attached to the old values, while American Protestants were free, in the full sense of this word. Although, they werent able to excel in the field of theorizing, these people simply implemented the principles of freedom and ingenuity into their practical realm. Francis Lowell is known of being a very pious person.
The Essay on Atrocity And The American People
An atrocity is defined as "An act of cruelty and violence inflicted by an enemy-armed force upon civilians or prisoners." Some believe this war in Kosovo is about politics. However, upon examination of the specifics of this conflict it is apparent that this is about religion. People must then decide whom, if anyone is committing these atrocities. Should the United States be involved in the ...
He used to give money to the church. Still, he did it for the very practical reason he simply wanted to insure the guarantee of afterlife in the kingdom of heaven. Believing in God did not prevent him from using a child labor in his mills. It can be easily explained by the essence of Protestantism – this system of belief encourages people to attain Earthly riches. In his book Enterprising Elite Robert Dalzell quotes Lowells partner Arthur Appleton, who once said: There was never a slightest hesitation or doubt about the success of this manufacture on his (Lowell) part. He said that he had a feeling that God was helping him all along (Dalzell, p 26).
Being an American patriot, Lowell rightly concluded that exploiting workers was justifiable, because it did not just enable him to make a fortune but also resulted in strengthening the infrastructure of American economy as whole.
At the turn of the 19th century, the 94% of New Englands population lived in the countryside. Yet, by the year 1830 this region became the most urbanized in the whole country. Such rapid socio-political transition cannot be associated with natural economic evolution; therefore it can only be explained by the fact of industrial revolution. In 1840 town Waltham was renamed in Lowell, to commemorate the man who turned it into the second biggest town in Massachusetts by that time. The total employment in textile industry accounted for 6000 women and 1800 men in Lowell by the year of 1841. From todays prospective we can say that it is not by mere accident that the name of Francis Lowell is associated with the beginning of industrial revolution in U.S.
He wasnt preoccupied with defining new economic strategy, being strictly a practitioner. Nevertheless, it was him who provided Americans with a glimpse of twentieth century
The Essay on African Americans in The Civil and Spanish American Wars
African Americans were not always a major part of the Armed Forces. They were not a big factor in the military until the Civil War, when The Emancipation Proclamation opened the door full-fledged for Blacks to participate in the military. Both black slaves and freemen saw this opportunity to serve in the military as a chance to relinquish their chains and to help the nation develop as a whole. ...
Bibliography:
Dalzell, Robert Enterprising Elite. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 1987. Dunwell, Steve The Run of the Mill. Dartmouth: Godine Publishing Inc., 1978. Lowell, Francis Cabot.
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Microsoft. Encarta. Online Encyclopedia. March 25, 2005. http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_701610351/Lowe ll.html.
