9.4 notes!
OMG, so like, all these huge money changes in the US totally, like, flipped everything upside down socially and culturally! You guys won't believe what happened next…
Seriously, in the North where all the factories were popping up, these super distinct social classes started forming. It's wild!
And get this, the new money was not spread evenly, honey, which, like, created all these new divides between people.
Each group had their own vibe and opinions, especially about slavery! Can you even imagine?
The Economic Elite
Okay, so the super-rich families? They totally gained so much power, socially and politically, because the economy was just, like, booming and their money was growing like crazy!
And obviously, each money group developed their own distinct little social scene and cultural quirks, you know?
Industrial Capitalist Elite
So, in all the chic northern cities like Boston, NYC, and Philly, the top-tier merchants totally became this, like, industrial capitalist elite.
A lot of these "it" crowd members were from old money families who were way into colonial trade (think tea, sugar, even, ugh, enslaved Africans). They knew all the trade routes, like, connecting everyone to Europe, the West Indies, and even the Far East.
And these old-school merchants just passed all their cash right down to their kids, obvi.
After the War of 1812, a new generation of merchants totally specialized, basically creating industrial capitalism by owning factories and all the fancy services like banking, insurance, and shipping. So driven!
Case Study: OMG, get this tea! Junius Spencer Morgan, a huge banker, started in Boston's import scene in the 1830s. He later formed Peabody, Morgan & Co., then changed it to J. S. Morgan & Co. And guess what? His son, J. P. Morgan, became an even more famous financier! Like, talk about a power family!
Social Strategies
The northern business elites? They were all about making connections to protect and grow their money. So strategic!
And you know leading families were totally into arranged marriages to, like, boost their economic status. It's giving 'Pride and Prejudice'!
Their fabulous homes became the places to, like, seal all those important social connections. So exclusive!
Naturally, all these exclusive neighborhoods popped up, because the rich totally wanted to distance themselves from just, like, everyone else. Total class segregation, can you even?
By 1858, these industrial elites had, like, ten chambers of commerce all over the US just to push their agenda. It was all about knowing what their rivals were up to and, you know, strengthening their little cliques!
Social Clubs and Political Influence
And darling, social clubs, like the super fancy Philadelphia Club from 1834, popped up everywhere to, like, keep all those rich families united with exclusive activities.
These elites were obsessed with making sure their inherited money stayed in the family, for generations!
Politically? Oh, they had so much sway in local and state elections. They basically ran everything.
And a lot of them were, like, super connected to the cotton trade, so naturally, they were fierce defenders of slavery. Ugh, just awful.
Industrial Manufacturers
Okay, so the Industrial Revolution totally let some regular artisans, like, climb the ladder and become big-shot manufacturers themselves.
But unlike the old-money elites, these new leaders didn't just, like, inherit their fortunes. They actually made it!
A lot of them came from, like, totally humble working-class backgrounds, living out that whole 'American dream' thing with hard work and discipline. Go them!
New Economic Elite
Here's some tea on Peter Cooper! He totally rose to fame in this new manufacturing crowd, inventing the steam locomotive in 1827 after starting a glue factory in the 1820s. So random, right?
Even with all his money, Cooper was, like, super modest. He believed true respect was about hard work, not just who your family was. Revolutionary!
But, like, self-made guys like Cooper were often totally snubbed by the old-money elites and iced out of their exclusive social clubs. So rude!
So, naturally, they started their own groups to promote moving up in the world, like the Providence Association of Mechanics and Manufacturers in 1789, which totally pushed industrial arts and education. Get it, girls!
Then in 1859, Cooper founded the amazing Cooper Union, where it was all about talent, not money! You literally got in based on ability, no matter your race, sex, or family name. And it was free until 2014! Can you believe?
The Middle Class
Okay, so not everyone became super-rich. A lot of artisans and small merchants became part of this new middle class. They totally kept up appearances and respectability, even if money was, like, a bit tighter.
These middle-class peeps were terrified of becoming, like, regular wage laborers. So they worked super hard to improve things for themselves and their kids! Goals!
Their big values? Being totally clean, super disciplined, moral, hard-working, educated, and having impeccable manners. It's a whole aesthetic!
And these middle-class kids? No factory work for them! They were, like, totally honing their skills through education and all those 'self-improvement' activities. So wholesome!
Family Planning
So get this, in the early 1800s, middle-class families started having fewer kids, because children weren't, like, bringing in money anymore. And raising them? Totally expensive! A whole vibe shift!
Middle-class women were, like, totally focused on the kids and keeping the house immaculate (with help, of course!). They also had to teach manners and buy stuff that just screamed 'educated and rich'!
Now, a lot of middle-class folks, even if some of them secretly profited from it, were, like, not fans of slavery. They thought it encouraged laziness, which totally clashed with their whole 'dignity through hard work' thing.
Social Movements
And, like, middle-class activism totally blew up! Think temperance movements, pushing for no alcohol. So dramatic!
And everyone was obsessed with Protestant ministers like Charles Grandison Finney. He preached that people could change their lives all on their own, which, like, totally resonated with the middle class and their belief in earning success themselves. Queen!
The Working Class
Okay, so the Industrial Revolution literally created a whole new group: the wage workers! They had their own culture and neighborhoods, totally separate from their bosses. It's like a whole other world!
And while progress was happening, it was, like, mostly the middle class and elites who got all the perks, typical!
The working class? They lived super precariously, darling. Economic crashes like the Panic of 1819 totally, like, destroyed them.
Even though a lot of working-class guys wanted to be all middle-class and keep their families out of work, money problems often, like, forced everyone, even kids, into labor. So sad!
Child Labor and Women's Work
Kids sometimes went to school or learned to read at Sunday school, but, like, education was often totally ditched for work. What a bummer!
Working-class women usually didn't work outside the house, but a lot of them, like, picked up extra cash doing laundry or piecework. Get that side hustle!
The urban working class couldn't afford all the fancy stuff the middle class bought, but they totally shaped popular culture! They created these, like, super festive spaces to escape the grind of factory life. Queens of fun!
Alcohol and Class Relations
Alcohol was, like, everywhere among the working class, even though some of them did join the temperance movement. Talk about inner conflict!
Meanwhile, the middle-class manufacturers and their social circles were, like, totally against drinking. So judgmental!
Oh, and the wage workers? They were mostly against getting rid of slavery, because they were scared freed Black individuals would, like, steal their jobs. Eye roll.
They were also, like, super hostile to all the new immigrants pouring in, especially in the 1840s and 50s (hello, Irish and Germans!). Even though these newcomers totally grew the working class and brought, like, cool new customs and religions, they were still so unwelcoming. Ugh, the drama!