and Industrialization
Before the Industrial Revolution in the 1830s, Pre-Columbian America was primarily an agricultural area because of the land was vast and there was a reduced urge and interest by the Native people to invest heavily in industries or machine production. It was until the invasion of the colonialists that industrial revolution swept Pre-Columbian North America leading to a significant change from cruel implements to products made using machines. The 1830s presented new experiences to the Natives as it led to changes in the method of producing products and led to the development of cities which changes their standards of living that they never knew during the pre-industrial era. The population of people seeking employment in industries led to a demand for houses, shopping centres, and markets which caused the sprouting of cities. The period between the 1830s and 1900s was an era characterized by immigration, urbanization, and industrialization. However, manufacturing industries were the sole reason for migration and urbanization because people were moving from rural areas to urban centres, and from Europe in search of employment and opportunities to exploit the resources in the vast Pre-Columbian lands. Textile mills in New England increased production dramatically thus the attributes as the essential contributor to Industrial Revolution. Because the urban population was slowly exceeding the rural population, there was a need for improved housing and transportation to enhance the movement of individuals and raw materials. Industrial revolution played a vital role in the development of cities to accommodate banking institutions and create markets for the products coming out of the industries. Market revolution in the 1900s was the development ensuing industrial revolution because of the crucial role of urban centers in the creation of efficient strategies to transport finished goods, raw materials and people. Improved human resource, lowered transport costs, evolving manufacturing systems, technological innovation and presence of mineral resources are the primary reasons for the rapid development of cities, immigration, and the industrial revolution.
Institutional changes and significant gains from industrial productivity spurred the creation of national markets and lowered transportation costs to facilitate the movement of people and goods from one point to another. There was concentrated population growth in urban centres between 1880 and 1920 paving ways for a different form of interaction with the environment as houses, roads and rails characterized the surroundings, a new phase in the Pre-Columbian history as forests described the native people’s immediate environs. Transportation systems and homes were significant elements in people’s environment. Shifting labour to offices and factories from traditional farms was a substantial change brought by industrial revolution considering that by the year 1920 there were more industrial workers than those in the agricultural workforce as it was the case in 1880 when individuals in agriculture sector outnumbered those working in industries. Thus between 1890 and 1920, there was a four-fold growth in industrial workers from 2.5 million to approximately 10 million. Although industrialization and growth of towns presented significant economic growth in early America, they had harmful effects on the environment. Other than the deforestation to create room for cities and industries, emissions from the mills caused soil, air, and water, species extinction, and health issues. More industries meant increased production of wastewater that impact negatively on the environment as it cause groundwater reservoir pollution and damaging of water treatment and transport systems.
Conclusion
In conclusion, people’s interaction with the environment has had adverse effects in America from the Pre-Columbian period to the contemporary society. Environmental played a primary role in the survival of humans since Pre-Columbian period. It is evident that since the conception of civilization to the modern time, individuals utilized their surroundings for their good. There was a significant interaction between the Native people and the environment. Similarly, the contemporary environment through issues such as climate change and global warming shows that there is an interaction with the modern man. At present, there are more industries and cities than those in the Industrial Revolution era because of the growing population and the advent of technology which increase the ease of establishing industries. The interaction between environment and the present-day man is evident from the utilization of natural resources like animals, plants, soils, water, food, and land to sustain daily activities. In return, practices such as mining, industries, and agricultural activities produce wastes which can harm the environment. Increasing global population contributes to increased environmental degradation hence the call for sustainable practices to protect natural resources such as forests and water sources. The 20th climatic changes and global warming lead to the inference that the contact between early European settlers created a more severe ecological impact that their Native counterparts because before 1492, the climate change, global warming and adverse weather conditions were not prevalent. Considering that the human-environment interaction has been human-centric, environment derived little or no benefits from the connection. Native people’s economic activities, farming and increase population led to pollution and environmental destruction. Since the Indians population was higher than that of the early settlers, their number impacted on the environment negatively because the growth in human population has a close association with the utilization of human-made and natural resources, food, energy and the production of increased waste-by-products. The wastes produced by the Native people affected the environment because some were not recyclable and would not decompose. However, the subsequent interaction between humans and the environment upon the invasion of European colonialists and early settlers in America led to increased pollution. Environmental issues such as climate change and global warming that we are facing today is a cumulative effect of unsustainable practices since time immemorial. At present, human-environment interaction had dramatically changed as reflected by the growing environmental issues and resultant consequences such as rising sea levels and melting ice due to adverse weather conditions. Contemporary society has a connection with the environment because of the exponential growth of individuals led to an expanded demand for land, housing, food, energy and resources that serve as input for industries. The production of wastes also is directly proportional to population growth hence the increased impact on the environment.