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U.S. Industrialization
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- What was your occupation? What about the occupations of other family members? Did you do farm work or hand crafts such as furniture making or shoe making? With the spread of factories, did your occupation change? Did your skills become obsolete?
- At this point in time, more and more people began living in cities and towns instead of in rural areas. Where did you live? In a city or in the country? Was it away from the family home?
- Did you ever work in any of the big factories? What did the factory make? What was your job? What were the working conditions like?
- During this period, the number of working railroads grew dramatically. Was your lifestyle affected by this change? Was your family able to get goods much more quickly? Did they have access to more goods? Did they travel at all?
- Railroad companies had the power of eminent domain, meaning they could force people to sell their land at a certain price and then build the railroad on it. Did you or your family encounter this? What happened?
- Many people began purchasing factory-made goods at this point in time, instead of making things at home. Did you do this? Did you purchase furniture or pre-made clothing? What about packaged food? Did this make your life easier?
- Large corporations were created during the period of industrialization. Were you involved in this movement? Did you start a large business? Did you work for a corporation?
- Many people resented big business because they felt that it had too much power. Did you make your opinions known on this subject? Did you have any good or bad experiences with corporations? What did you think of the anti-trust movement?
- Unions gained popularity during this period. Did you join one? Why or why not? Did you ever participate in a strike?
- Department and chain stores also came into existence during the period of industrialization. Did you ever go to one? Did the chain stores put any small family stores that you owned or shopped in out of business?
- How did you feel about the industrialization of the United States? Did you like the new style of businesses and cities that were cropping up? Would you have preferred that the country remain a nation of farmers and small businesses?
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