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Socialism

How Socialism Emerged The intellectual roots of socialism go back at least as far as ancient Greek times, when the philosopher Plato depicted a type of collective society in his dialog, Republic (360 B.C.). In 16th‑century England, Thomas More drew on Platonic ideals for his Utopia, an imaginary island where money has been abolished and […]

Oil Industry

The 19th century was a period of great change and rapid industrialization. The iron and steel industry spawned new construction materials, the railroads connected the country and the discovery of oil provided a new source of fuel. The discovery of the Spindletop geyser in 1901 drove huge growth in the oil industry. Within a year, […]

Industrial Revolution

When Was the Industrial Revolution? Though a few innovations were developed as early as the 1700s, the Industrial Revolution began in earnest by the 1830s and 1840s in Britain, and soon spread to the rest of the world, including the United States. Modern historians often refer to this period as the First Industrial Revolution, to […]

Homestead Strike

In July 1892, a dispute between Carnegie Steel and the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers exploded into violence at a steel plant owned by Andrew Carnegie in Homestead, Pennsylvania. In what would be one of the deadliest labor‑management conflicts in the nation’s history, some 12 people were killed when striking workers attacked 300 […]

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The Origins of Summer Camps

Did summer camp save kids from factories? Learn about the unlikely history behind modern summer camps.

Child Labor

Historian Yohuru Williams gives a rundown of important facts on child labor in the time of the Industrial Revolution.

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Centralization of Money

In 1838, U.S. Mint branches were opened across the country to fulfill the need for a centralized system of monetary exchange.

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The Industrial Revolution

Beginning in the 19th century, advances in manufacturing revolutionize the American way of life.

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Customers enjoying steins of beer at the Old Heidelberg Brewery, in Chicago, c. 1900.

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How 19th‑Century German Immigrants Revolutionized America’s Beer Industry

How did lager beer become America’s most popular libation, sold everywhere from convenience stores to luxury hotels? It began in the mid‑19th century when throngs of German immigrants brewed the light, pale, effervescent alcoholic beverage in their kitchens for a taste of home. Resourceful German brewers grew the lager industry into a powerhouse by aggressively […]

6 Everyday Inventions That Debuted at World’s Fairs

Emerging from the medieval tradition of agricultural and trade fairs, the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, held in London in 1851, was the first international gathering of this kind, and widely considered the first World’s Fair. Over time, World’s Fairs began incorporating the type of entertainment and amusements typically associated […]

How Early World Fairs Put Industrial Revolution Progress on Display

World’s Fairs conjure up images of the technicolor mid‑century vision of the future from New York 1964, the Ferris wheel and Midway (and H.H. Holmes) from Chicago 1893, and the Eiffel Tower, which was constructed for the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris. There’s also the idea that these global gatherings were held primarily to entertain the masses. […]

How the Industrial Revolution Fueled the Growth of Cities

The rise of mills and factories drew an influx of people to cities—and placed new demand on urban infrastructures.