Europe during the eighteenth century was at the height of the industrial revolution, none of which reached America. In New England the population was largely English, but America as a whole had more than 20 ethnic strains present, nowhere in Europe could such a heterogeneous mixture be found. America was unique in its political structure. Americans vested authority in personalities, rather than, as in England, in institutions of tradition. As a people they had been striped of traditions. America lacked the centuries of tradition that other societies had. American cities not only solved thier problems, but they sought to solve them. European cities were encrusted with centuries of tradition and moved only by custom, problems just accumulated and increased. America also found unique ways to solve thier problems. Whereas in Europe the government was controlled by a closed, self perpetuating corporation of Aldermen and council men with a high resistance to all pleas for civic improvements. Americans circumvented this block in governmental action by the concept of the voluntary society. Benjamin Franklin utilized this concept in developing the American voluntary fire department in 1736. The public library, college of Philadelphia, the America Philosophical society are all out growths of this voluntary society. Another unique feature of America was that the rigid class structure of Europe has degenerated into a cliche observed in form but not practice. Leadership in America was open to anyone had the ability to assert it. European societies of the eighteenth century had the bulk of their cites composed of unemployed laborers, vagabonds, beggars. No large laboring class dominated America cites. Amidst urban dwellers were merchants, lawyers, clergy, craftsmen, shopkeepers, and tradesmen. The expanding towns and cities worked to keep the roving poor down. As Lucas points out that even with slavery and indian exploitation there was a developmen...
