Immigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the States had a big hand in transforming the business side of things in the country. During this era immigration reached its peak, creating an influx of working class citizens that fueled the growing elites industrialization needs. This not only created a huge pool of additional labor, but also created a big market for housing, rendering the greedy landlords in charge of the pricing since demand was high and the supply limited. The improvements seen were mostly with regards to technology, research, and new manufacturing ventures such as steelmaking, electrical equipment and food canning.
As the United States lodged headfirst into a frenzy of industrialization, medical advances and the likes, the country saw cities sprouting overnight and lives changing just as fast. The country was in a spiral of urbanization as the number of urban residents increased from 6.2 million to 42 million between 1860 and 1910. This influx resulted in disparity between the upper and lower classes so much so that publications exposing the extent of poverty (such as Jacob Riis How the other half lives in 1890) was seen as new and startling by elite. The rise in manufactured products gave rise to consumerism so that even when the wages grew, the workers spent their extra earnings on products instead of investment in savings in order to create a higher standard of life. This improved the growing difference in classes since now there was such a wealth of manufactured products on the market that anyone, regardless of class, could purchase them. Products seemed to bridge the gap between classes.
In the end it could be said that immigration has played a vital role in the development of the United States but as we know that a coin has two sides there are some problems that the United States government faced while handling the intense pressure of these immigrants. Especially with the likes of illegal immigrants that are presently living in the country has become a major challenge for the US government. These immigrants have brought their skills and expertise with them but the major issue that causes much of the problem is with the illegal immigrants that causes the sate a huge problem. This could be rectified with proper and legitimate immigration policy which would solve this issue of illegal immigrants.
As the United States lodged headfirst into a frenzy of industrialization, medical advances and the likes, the country saw cities sprouting overnight and lives changing just as fast. The country was in a spiral of urbanization as the number of urban residents increased from 6.2 million to 42 million between 1860 and 1910. This influx resulted in disparity between the upper and lower classes so much so that publications exposing the extent of poverty (such as Jacob Riis How the other half lives in 1890) was seen as new and startling by elite. The rise in manufactured products gave rise to consumerism so that even when the wages grew, the workers spent their extra earnings on products instead of investment in savings in order to create a higher standard of life. This improved the growing difference in classes since now there was such a wealth of manufactured products on the market that anyone, regardless of class, could purchase them. Products seemed to bridge the gap between classes.
In the end it could be said that immigration has played a vital role in the development of the United States but as we know that a coin has two sides there are some problems that the United States government faced while handling the intense pressure of these immigrants. Especially with the likes of illegal immigrants that are presently living in the country has become a major challenge for the US government. These immigrants have brought their skills and expertise with them but the major issue that causes much of the problem is with the illegal immigrants that causes the sate a huge problem. This could be rectified with proper and legitimate immigration policy which would solve this issue of illegal immigrants.
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