Economic Revolution

Henretta Chapter 10 discusses the ever changing American Economy. Manufacturing was a critical component in boosting the American economy. Several factors lead to a successful manufacturing economy: division of labor, improved British technology and hiring less expensive workers.A division of labor assigns specific tasks to different workers. The division improved efficency and productivity leading to a significant increase in output. Secondly, by improving British technology American's were now able to compete in the textile industry. American's have Francis Cabot Lowell to thank for building the first textile plant to outwork the British. Lowell did so by touring British textile mills asking questions and secretly sketching drawings of the machinery and then passing them along to Paul Moody. Once Moody recieved the drawings he copied the machines and made vast improvments to the outdate American machines. Finally, American's began to hire less expensive workers. The "Waltham plan" recruited thousands of farm girls and women to work in the textile factories. The women were put up in housing and given curfews. Although the jobs were not glamourous, many women still chose to work in textile factories simply because the pay was more than they would be making doing household work.

Frederick Douglass

After reading the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Dougalss, I believe it would be an understatement to say his story is admirable. Frederick Douglass spent his whole life overcoming adversity. His mother died when he was a young child and when she was living, she had to sneak over at night to tuck him into bed. Frederick mentioned his feelings of his mother's death were similar to if a stranger had passed.
Frederick was under the command of several different masters during his time in slavery. Frederick was abused phisically, mentally, emotionally, and verbally by his masters. One day he was severly beated for passing out due to heat-exhaution. I would think passing out from the heat would be punishment enough. Frederick always worked long hours. One of his masters believed, "the longest days were too short, and the shortest nights were too long."
I would consider Frederick Douglass a self-made-man. He was taught letters by his master's wife, but when the master found out, he probibited his wife from teaching a slave to read. He believed if slaves learned to read it would give them a certain power, and would eventually take over. After this, Frederick did not give up, he found a way to keep learning. He would give his bread to the poor white children in exchange for a reading lesson. He would also recycle the spelling books of his master's children and fill in the blank lines. Being able to read enabled Frederick Douglass to help unify the slaves. They began to all want to read. Every Sunday they would gather and he would teach the slaves to read. I believe he called it "Sabboth School." Frederick Douglass stood up for himself and fought for what he thought was right. Whether it had been his own strength and courage or strength from the plant his friend told him to keep in his left pocket, Frederick stood his ground. Frederick was determined to be free. Even after he was caught with the other men, Henry and John Harris, Henry Bailey, and Charles Robert, for planning an escape, he was sure he would be free one day. The last time he tried he was alone and he knew it was to be free or to die. Frederick finally made it safely to NY where he married Anna Murray on Sep. 15, 1838. After being told NY was not a safe place for them to be, they moved to New Bedford. Suprising to Frederick New Bedford was "clean, new, and beautiful." People seemed happy, it was the life he'd been dreaming of. When asked about being free, he explained it as it "felt like one who had escaped a den of hungry lions." Frederick worked as a caulker until white men refused to work with him. He then worked many other jobs stating none were too much work or too dirty. Frederick Douglass had finally reached his ultimate goal, to serve as his own master.
The fact I found most interesting in reading this article is throughout his life he went by five different names. He was born as Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, he then shortened it to Frederick Bailey, was known as Stanely when living in Baltimore, Fred Johnson, and when he started his new life in New Bedford he was given the name Frederick Douglas by Mr. Johnson.

Industrialization in America

Industrialization began to show in America during the 1790's. The use of the outwork system(division of labor) and modern factories used new and improved technology to increase the output of goods exponentially. With improved technology factories were finally able to produce metal goods and parts, such as reaping machines for farms and guns. The British government limited the export of new machinery and the emigration of those who knew how to build it after the country's manufacturers began to worry about American competition. Lured by money and offers of partnerships mechanics made their way to America to help create a more advanced machines. Although America had more natural resources, Britain still had a larger population overall and that was concentrated in cities. To rectuit more workers Americans had to create stratigies to find more workers. One such idea was the "Waltham plan" that brought thousands of farm women and girls into the textile work force. By the 1820s American mechanics were on the rise following in British immigrants footsteps creating multiple machines to produce better goods, faster. They also pioneered the development of machines that could make other machines. The increase in factory work, although boosting the economy, created problems for artisans who lost business and faced unemployment and the loss of status. More and more Americans were forced to take jobs as wageworkers, workers who toiled for twelve or more hours a day for little pay. Unions brought thousands of workers together who faught for better working conditions.