Video Summary:New York, Power and the People
The video ‘New York, Power and the People’ is a detailed summary of the process of industrialization in the city of New York. In the 1800s, many people migrated to New York in search of better lives. Besides, the slaves from Africa and other neighbouring countries were brought to the city to provide cheap labour. As the population increased in number, there was overcrowding and an increase in demand for necessities. Notably, it became crucial to develop modern housing to accommodate the population explosion. Similarly, the need for consumable from the factories increased. Manufacturers thus developed methods of increasing the rate of production of commodities while decreasing the cost of capital. Consequently, the growing population of New York attracted a rise in speed in transport, communication, and development of other supportive infrastructure in the city. From the video, it is evident that advancement in labour relations, transportation, crime, architecture and culture are fundamental components of the industrial revolution.
Analysis of the Rise of New York Ramifications
The immigration of people across the globe marks the beginning of the New York ramification. Kenneth T. Jackson reports that 8 million migrants arrived in new york between 1880 and 1920 (0.55-1.23). Caleb Carr says that out of all the migrants, 289,000 and 256,000 were from Italy and Russia alone (12.45-13.05). As a result, an increase in the demand for better houses ensued. Since the land in the city could not be expanded, the architects decided to venture in the development of the skyscrapers and other high rise buildings (23.12-23.20). Specifically, the invention of the elevator helped in overcoming the challenge of scaling many stairs (23.12-23.59). Similarly, the use of steel in the ramification of the structures immensely improved the tensile strength of the building. Therefore, more people could be accommodated in a unit land compared to the previous years. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Apart from the advancement in housing technology, the transport infrastructure immensely contributed to the change in the outlook of New York. The advent of the train and the subway system in 1909 contributed to the facial uplift of the city (56:45-56:50). The subway system was not only a monumental piece of technology but also created a network of quick transport through the city. Similarly, the bridges across the East River promoted the overall appearance of the town. The architects applied the latest technology of the time to design the spectacular bridges to ease the movement of people from one bank to the other. Finally, the electric rails connecting the island to the mainland also played a fundamental role in improving transport and the face of the city. Notably, the twin stations in Mid Town (59:10-59:45) displayed architectural elegance and functional excellence. Majority of these monumental transport systems still exists to date and contribute to the appearance of the modern New York City.
Overall Themes and Lessons
The overall theme in the video is the process of industrialization: its causes and consequences. First, the video describes the issue of immigration and its influences on population increase. The result of the population increase caused a surge in demand for industrial products. Thereby leading to industrialization. The author describes how negative implications of free migration, which eventually led to the control of further immigration into the city. The surge in the number of people living in the location caused urbanization to take place.
Issues of Industrialization and Modernization in New York and among City Dwellers
During the period of industrialization, there was an increase in the need for cheap labour in the industries causing the generation of labour laws. Initially, the owners of the industries exploited the labourers. People could work for more than eight hours per day and receive meagre pay. Besides, the working conditions were unbearable. Christine Stansell reports the incidence of the fire killed more than 100 women and children in Triangle Waist Company as the worst example of the eventualities of a poor working environment (1:22:23-1:23:10). The factory, which was more than eight floors high had poor escape routes leading to the tragedy in the event of the fire. Since then, the factory commission of inquiry led to the reformation of the labour laws. Statutes regulating the operations of women and children in factories emerged. The number of working hours and occupation and safety standards became addressed through the labour laws as addressed by All Smith. The current safety standards and the compensations at the place of work date back to this period of social reforms.
Take Away
From the video, it is evident that migration is a precursor to urbanization and the subsequent industrialization. Increased number of people living in a single location escalates the propensity to commit the crimes. People would do lousy jobs (1.22-1.25) with low payments. On end, many people became jobless and could do anything for survival (43:23-43:40). As a result, the levels of crime increased in the region. Similarly, the mingling of people from various parts of the globe caused cultural evolution with the formation of the current day New York lifestyle. Therefore, immigration is an active catalyst of industrialization and social adjustments of any society.