"There are never wanting some persons of violent and undertaking natures, who, so they may have power and business, will take it at any cost."
-Francis Bacon
The Industrial Revolution: defined as 'the change from an agricultural to an industrial civilization that took place from about the middle of the 18th century to the middle of the 19th century. As discussed in Trachtenberg's article, Mechanization Takes Command, industrial machines were viewed as both a hindrance on society by some, yet others saw them as great emancipators. Trachtenberg also goes into detail about the loss of artisanship in American life. What the author is trying to say by this is that the introduction of mechanized business, while technically making work easier for the work, was actually contributing to the death of the spirit of the American blue-collar worker. Trachtenberg also hits on the importance of the development of the transcontinental railroad, and everything involved with it.
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Rockefeller Christmas Tree
John D. Rockefeller founded the University of Chic...Specifically, Trachtenberg mentions the necessity for the regulation of time across the United States; which the railroad industry actually created.
Matthew Josephson's article, entitled "The Robber Barons", had more of a focus on the pioneers of the business industry during the Industrial Revolution. In the passage that was presented to us, John D. Rockefeller was ultimately singled out. Josephson's attack on Rockefeller can be looked at as an indirect attack on capitalists altogether. Josephson makes it pretty clear to the reader his viewpoints about Rockefeller, which are all negative,(the only semi-good point being that he promised to preserve a widowed refinery owner, only to offer her less then half the worth of the property, pg. 86). Josephson does this to ultimately get the reader to side with him and his viewpoints of capitalists in the Industrial Revolution. Josephson proceeds to weave a web of...