Unit VI Assessment

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Unit VI Assessment

Question One

            The rising middle class as identified by Andrew Jackson seems to have been propelled by several factors. Most countries possess a significantly sizeable middle-class population that can be seen in semi-marginalized regions. Their position has been driven by a market revolution as identified by Jackson leading to a restructured family. However, a market revolution can be attributed to the participation of people from different stratifications in pursuing reform movements. Jackson’s middle-class America was characterized by men who possess positions within the organizations they work for, compared to their role as single entrepreneurs and skilled laborers. Their families were elevated from one level to the next allowing them an opportunity to experience various luxuries. Additionally, business people who owned and operated businesses such as mills considered slavery as an ambivalent activity working proactively to end its existence. The upwardly mobile citizens deviated from detrimental leisure such as consumption of alcohol and instead promoted their religious beliefs.

            Today’s middle class is reasonably different from that purported by Jackson. While Jackson’s America was characterized by the deviation of women from the workplace and professional scene into accommodating motherhood, the contemporary middle class is exemplified by working women to supplement the input of the husband. Although the current middle class is often associated with the pursuit of reforms in various levels, most of the people concentrate on increasing the household income to ensure that they sustain their families and make ends meet. Similarly, middle-class men holding managerial positions are required to work extra hours to spearhead the organizational objectives. The approach implies relinquishing various luxuries of life and concentrating on delivering quality and better outcomes. Business elites are adopting scrupulous business activities such as employing people with low wages to increase their profits.

Question Two

            Working in Lowell Industries in Massachusetts in 1840 proves to be one of the most strenuous yet revealing experiences for unmarried girls. First, it is possible to identify that the work within the mills was mechanized and specialized in the sense that girls were offered specific tasks. The experience working in such an environment is that workers needed to display utmost conformity to the working hours as well as requirements of their position. In this case, once a person was offered a task, they were required to impose their effort towards reaching an end. The rules and policies of the company constrained the girls from experiencing a normal life at such an age owing to the threat of dismissal. Among the violations thereof included dishonesty, idleness, and intemperance. However, the girls displayed unity as was visible in the formation of the Lowell Factory Girls Association meant to counter the effect of wage cuts. Competition among laborers was imminent as New England farmer daughters experienced competition from Irish farmers.

            Technology has proven to be detrimental and accelerating factor of town distinct as it increased the nature of deskilling and exposed workers to various health and well-being vulnerabilities while at the same time expanding the scope of production. For instance, various machines used in the mills caused fires that threatened the safety of the workers. Additionally, workers would be stuck operating the machines with others being crushed. However, technology such as the steamship engine improved the nature of products leading to the growth of families. Farmer land was placed under maximum utility owing to the application of technology. Additionally, children in institutions were educating the uses and importance of innovative technologies improving their ability to create maximum production.