After the Civil War, Americans experienced what is now known as the Industrialization of the U.S., starting from 1865 and ending in 1890. The elements needed for industrialization are: abundant food supply, large and cheap workforce, natural resources (such as coal and oil), investment capital (money), fast, cheap and efficient transportation (railroads) and ingenuity and inventiveness. Many new inventions were created in this period, such as the telephone electricity, the phonograph, cable cars, electric street cars, lamps, the typewriter, etc. It is important to note that during the Industrialization Era, three important amendments were ratified to our Constitution. The first one to be added was the 13th Amendment, which was ratified in December 1865 and abolished slavery. The 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868 and prohibits the state and local governments from depriving people of life, liberty, or property without certain steps being taken. The 15th Amendment was ratified in February 3rd of 1870 and prohibited the U.S. government from denying a citizen’s right to vote based on their race, color or previous servitude.
During industrialization, people experienced the rise of the industrial economy and of additional issues of law, governance, and public policy. During this age, there was a growth of urbanization, American cities began to develop, and a boost in migration and immigration from Europe and Asia. The nation's growing knowledge of technology opened up immeasurable possibilities for material success. The existence of national systems of transportation (such as the railroads) helped produce a more unified economic system. These new changes greatly affected the lives of Americans, and transformed the conditions of their work and opened a variety of occupations. Many Americans were faced with a choice between their usual lifestyle of farming and the new available work of industrial employment. The choice was difficult because the industrial job...