Difference between revisions of "426--Week 4 Questions/Comments--Tuesday"
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'''Homestead''' I think Homestead is a good example of typical life in a mill town during the mid-19th Century in a northern city. Mintz& Kellogg go on to explain conditions in other northern cities, especially for immigrants. One continuity for all working-class families is the need for subsistence from all members (or more than the male head of house) of the family. Like Stansell, M&K describe scavenging as a way to produce more income. It reminded me of immigrant or "guest worker" programs of today to read about the Italian brothers who wanted to take/send their earnings home. --Amanda | '''Homestead''' I think Homestead is a good example of typical life in a mill town during the mid-19th Century in a northern city. Mintz& Kellogg go on to explain conditions in other northern cities, especially for immigrants. One continuity for all working-class families is the need for subsistence from all members (or more than the male head of house) of the family. Like Stansell, M&K describe scavenging as a way to produce more income. It reminded me of immigrant or "guest worker" programs of today to read about the Italian brothers who wanted to take/send their earnings home. --Amanda | ||
| − | '''Immigration''' I found it interesting that people who immigrated alone created a type of community with each other. Most came alone to earn money to bring the rest of their family to the new world and they bonded over their common situations. They created their own type of family. People also created a sense of family by boarding with other low income families. It is interesting how important a sense of family was to these immigrants. -- Kari W. | + | '''Immigration''' I found it interesting that people who immigrated alone created a type of community with each other. Most came alone to earn money to bring the rest of their family to the new world and they bonded over their common situations. They created their own type of family. People also created a sense of family by boarding with other low income families. It is interesting how important a sense of family was to these immigrants. -- Kari W. |
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| + | '''Strength''': In response to Stephen's question concerning Wright's statement, I believe that the factory system did not in fact "destroy family life." While certainly any environment has the potential to cause hardship on family life, the factory did, as Mintz and Kellogg discuss, provide opportunities for increased family togetherness. For instance, children were allowed to live at home longer and were not send off to live somewhere else and learn a trade at an early age. Additionally, working in the factories allowed for a shard sense of family identity and promoted the common good. While this idea certainly leaves room for jealousy and contempt for having to sacrifice for the greater good, it appears that many families were strengthened by their shared work and economic dependence. While today we may view child labor as having a negative impact on family life, it was a common practice, if these families were farmers, all of their children would have been contributing to the economic benefit of the family in some way. Therefore, I believe that it was really what each family chose to make of the situation that meant division or cohesion and that factory life did not inherently destroy the life of American families. --Sarah Gardner | ||
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== Stansell == | == Stansell == | ||
'''Do me a favor and at the begining of each set of comments, write and bold ONE WORD which decribes your view/question/comment/or thought about the reading.''' | '''Do me a favor and at the begining of each set of comments, write and bold ONE WORD which decribes your view/question/comment/or thought about the reading.''' | ||
