d gender. These changes were both social and economic, whereas the transportation revolution was generally economic. The assembly line was put into use in 1830. This made it easier for manufactures to produce their products quicker and more efficiently. Power Driven machines were used. The Flour Mill, which was powered by water, made it possible for 6 men to mill 100,000 bushels of grain a year. Skilled artisans came over from other countries and helped the U.S. to create more products cheaper and faster. Textile mills began to use women and children in their factories, which was cheaper for them. One of the biggest advances in that time was the cotton mills. Cotton textiles were the leading product in the South. Samuel Slater created a mill where cotton could be spun into yarn. Many women and children worked in these mills while the men or husbands worked out in the fields. Later, mills in the towns of Waltham and Lowell were created and ran their businesses very differently than Slater’s mills. Eighty percent of Waltham and Lowell’s workers were women. The conditions of these mills were not the best. Workers had to live in boardinghouses, and the working environment was harsh. The workers worked long hours for low pay. Though this was not typical of all industries in the middle 1800’s, the conditions were still bad for some (Enduring Vision 252).Aside from large changes, some cities had many advances that were small, but still notable. Some of the bigger cities had many artisans. Cities like Philadelphia and New York had artisans with many craft skills that benefited the city and those around them. Skills like cutting leather and sewing were highly regarded. Also, many people began to open their own businesses and make trips to keep their business going. All of these advancements created many social changes in American society. Changes in social relationships occurred, as well as changes in women and men alone. Th...
