American study (early urban) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American study (early urban) - Essay Example As a result, wealth was concentrated in the hands of the population that already had wealth and, even though there was an increase in personal income, social mobility opportunities remained highly limited (Gorn 404). While there were certainly artisans who moved into the middle class through becoming owners and managers of the factories, the industrial revolution mainly made most skilled artisans permanent wage earners with limited advancement hopes. During the 17th century, the northern cities, especially seaport towns, were dominated by the water, which was the main source of transport and offered most of the population’s sustenance. Majority of the colonial population in these seaports were rural settlers and were involved in agriculture, fishing, and lumbering, which they sent to European and Caribbean markets (Nash 1). Towards the latter years of the 17th century, the seaports were no larger than ordinary European villages with, for example, Philadelphia having only 2,200 inhabitants, mostly because the regional populations they served were sparse. The society in these seaport towns was still organized around the nuclear family, while the networks in society were also heavily pervaded by kinship. In addition, order was maintained by strictly adhering to status and rank, while there was a clear differentiation in social roles. However, towards the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries, social consciousne ss began to change as feelings of unity bred by class standing, economic position, and occupation emerged (Nash 4). Adjustments in the population’s expectations and aspirations also began to change from what was common in pre-industrial European life. Artisans during this period were a diverse and large group that formed a link between the upper classes and the labourers and, within this group, differences in status and wealth also existed due to business acumen, skill acquisition, and health (Nash 8). Another cause