Industrial Revolution, New Deal, WWI, WWII, and Feminism - Assignment Example

Question Innovation was one of the major elements of industrialization. During the period of industrialization, innovators played a significant role in speeding up and improving the quality of production both in agriculture and factories. The major innovations during the industrial revolution included the steam engine and weaving engine. Transportation is also described as a major element of industrialization as demonstrated by the revolutionized transport industry during this period. This included transportation of goods and raw materials across long distances in trains and vehicles. The financial industry and its rapid growth also characterized the industrial revolution as one of its core elements. Furthermore, industrialization was characterized by an element of political change. As people moved into towns to work in industries, the political climate changed with the growth of powerful monarchs and industrialized European nations. Industrialization began early in 1700s in Europe. This period lasted to early 1800s. The industrial revolution began with an increased number of industries within European societies and spread to other parts of the world. Industrialization began in Europe because of the works of great European inventors and innovators who designed and produced better techniques and equipment of producing goods within industries in a more efficient manner. In addition, industrial revolution began as a result of accumulation of capital and investments. More importantly, there was a great spirit of investment among European entrepreneurs which motivated input of capital into industries. The coal industry grew significantly because of the demand for cheap source of fuel in industries during the industrial revolution. Because the furnaces and steam engines which were used within industries and the train transport system for goods and raw materials required more coal, there were dramatic changes in the coal industry during the industrialization period. More specifically, the mining of coal was achieved through deep penetrating shafts into the ground to get more coal. This posed many dangers to coal miners. For example many coal miners died during the mining processes. The underground coal mines especially those which were dug horizontally posed the greatest danger to miners. In addition to these dangers, coal miners are illustrated to have been overworked during the industrialization period which caused most of them to have health problems. Miners within the coal mines of the industrialization period were also exposed to both poisonous and explosive gases. In order to reduce these dangers ventilation systems were used in underground mines. It is however illustrated that the ventilation system was very crude and unreliable. Falls were also characterized by the fatalities which individuals suffered in coal mines. More notably and disturbing is the illustration of many deaths of children which were recorded in the industrialization period as a result of coal mining. Pregnant women were also part of the mining process. For example pregnant women were reported to have given birth at the bottom of the coal mines. This illustrates the negative implication that the experiences within coal mines and the demand for coal in industries caused individuals to face during the industrialization period. Question 2 In the year 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt entered the white house. During the darkest hour and moment of the Great Depression, Roosevelt designed and articulated a new deal which was a promise to Americans for better conditions and living. The new deal was a single package of the legislative reforms which were to be implemented by Roosevelt’s government as postulated by the new deal. The new deal played a transforming role the American economic and political climate. Three major programs were expressed by Roosevelt with goals that would form part of the implementation of the new deal. In his speech to the American people, Roosevelt explained that the new deal is an important program that was to be implemented through the delivery of reform, relief and recovery which were termed as the 3Rs. In respect to reform, the new deal would be implemented through goals of altering the manner in which capital markets, the government and the people related with each other. The reforms as presented by the goals of the new deal were aimed at ensuring that individual American citizens were secured from the unpredictable economic and market turns. In this regard, all members of the American society, irrespective of their class and economic status were to be protected by economic crises which caused them to meet their economic needs. The FDR presidency and government therefore aimed at promoting the economic prospects of all members of the American society. It was however noted that the reforms which were postulated by the implementation plan for the new deal were faced with political controversies. Relief was described by the new deal was aimed at achieving the goal of ensuring that Americans were able to access employment opportunities. The new deal through the relief objective for implementation was aimed at helping the Americans who almost lost their lives out of starvation during the great depression. The relief was one of the objectives of the new deal program which were implemented with higher success as compared to other goals of the deal. The relief was achieved by the FDR government through agencies such as Works Progression Administration and Civilian Conservation corps. Within the new deal, Roosevelt articulated recovery in light of its goals of recovering the American economy from the great depression. However, recovery lagged behind among the objective and goals of the new deal. This is demonstrated by the fact that it failed to bring the great depression to an end within the stipulated time. Regardless of the goals of the new deal, the diversity among the American population such as class, gender, race, ethnicity, culture and social status made it challenging to implement and achieve its goals. However positive impacts were felt by the Americans such as an improvement of their economic condition, employment opportunities and gender and legal rights. On the other hand the objectives and goals of the new deal led to divisions among the American society which were based on class, educational level and race. Additionally, the promise that the American people were given during Roosevelt’s speech on the new deal were not effectively met. Question 3 The term total war describes active military engagement where the warring groups completely mobilize the population and resources to achieve a complete retreat or fight against the enemy. The First World War has been described as a total war because it represents a totally class and form of military engagement. This is demonstrated by the fact that the First World War was characterized by minimal differentiation and separation of civilians from military men and women. It is therefore through the utilization of all available and capable human resource that the First World War is described as a total war. The First World War had several implications on civilians as a result of their involvement in the war and the consequences which emanated from active military action. The major effect of the First World War was the death of many civilians. Many people lost their loved ones which resulted to a lot of suffering and anguish. In addition many civilians became disabled as a result of the war. Loss of civilian property and exposure of women and children to the atrocities and experiences of the active war were among the implications of this war on civilians. Through industrialization, inventions such as the steam engine facilitated and fuelled the First World War. This is illustrated by the easy movement of soldiers and military supplies which was made possible through the development of the transportation industry. In addition, industrialization led to financial capabilities among the warring groups which resulted in ability of increased investment military equipment and weaponry. Technological innovations during the industrialization period also promoted the First World War by improving communication during war and making military equipment more effective and highly destructive. This however is attributed to the many negative implications which civilians suffered as a result of this war. The First World War presented opportunities for revolutions and political independent among various regions of the world. Additionally, the war created opportunities for alliances among the warring groups. This was motivated by the need to support nations for the underlying economic benefits. In this sense, the war opened new economic opportunities and expansion of territories for economic growth. Furthermore opportunities for employment within warring zones were also opened as a result of the war activities. The youth were also provided with opportunities for military training which earned them income in addition to their role in serving the state. On the other hand, the First World War introduced several dangers within word economies. This includes the danger of subsequent wars such as the second and third world wars. However the superiority of nations such as the US in terms of economy and weaponry and their level of participation within the war reshaped the international political climate. This includes the definition of superpower states which caused security worries. The fears for future word security created a lot of tension among nations which was predictive of future wars. For example the manufacture of destructive weapons and the use of nuclear power reshaped the control that warring nations had within the war activities and the political and economic environments of the world. Question 4 The First World War has been described as the first of the total wars of the world which significantly involves the American women of White, Black and Japanese ethnicities. The involvement of women in the war included the active role they played as nurses and in military aid activities. In addition, some women were involved in active combat as solders during war. It is in this regard that the First World War has been said to have caused several implications on women who participated in the war. Women were mobilized during the war to ensure that the needs of solders such as food and medical services were provided. The exposure of these women to the war zone caused them to experience the war in levels that had psychological implications on them. Even though the contribution of American women to the First World War is described as paternalistic by some schools of thought, their constitution was significant in the success that the US achieved in the war. American women experienced the world war through their roles. These roles included work in ammunition factories. These women participated in the production of weaponry that was employed to facilitate war activities and achieve the victory which was eventually enjoyed by America in the war. Furthermore American women from various ethnic and racial groups such as whites, black Americans and Japanese Americans worked in military offices and some participated in the construction or building of military aircraft. In addition some women helped in knitting the clothes of soldiers. It is important to note that some of the women who were involved in the First World War participated out of the need to survive the hardships which resulted from the war period. For example many women worked within the military in paid jobs with a view of providing for their families. However some women volunteered their services to the military as their loyal contribution to the victory of the US in the war. The volunteering women worked with the Red Cross in which they provided emergency medical services to soldiers who were wounded in the war. Furthermore, victory gardens were built and planted by women who volunteered to participate in the war. Long term psychological, social and economic implications have been experienced by the American women who participated in the war regardless of their racial or ethnic affiliation. For example the experiences that these women went through during the war resulted in post war stress and trauma. Depressive disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder were diagnosed among women especially who had an active participatory role in the war. In addition, women whose husbands died in the war as soldiers experienced as long term economic burden as they were forced to provide for their children by themselves. This also translates to the social impacts of changed gender roles within the family. Despite the negative implications that the American women faced as a result of the war, their role in the war communicated the American spirit which transcends race and ethnicity for a common cause. Read More