PerfectCustomPapers | American Industrialization 19th-20th Century

American Industrialization 19th-20th Century

We tend to think of American industrialization as a phenomenon located in the northeastern quadrant of the United States, today’s “rust belt” running west from New York to Chicago, but the fact is that mining, not farming and ranching dominated the economy of many western states, contrary to the myth of the six-gun West popularized by dime novels and western films. Colorado was one. And Mabel Barbee Lee wrote a memoir of growing up in one, Cripple Creek, which she memorialized in Cripple Creek Days. Write a review of Mabel Barbee Lee’s title Cripple Creek Days, a book about life in one of the world’s most famous and important mining towns of the late 19th and early 20th century. Discuss life in an industrial city in the West. To what degree did life in mining towns like this resemble life in industrial cities in the East, the main topic of Chapter 18 in The American Yawp? In your final, critical analysis, how would you assess the use of memoirs like this one in the writing of history? Memoirs such as this are important sources of information for historians writing about an era. In your discussion and analysis of this title, be sure to assess what historians might learn (or not learn) about the era and the region from using this book as a source.

Sample Answer

Review of Cripple Creek Days: A Look at Life in a Western Mining Town

Mabel Barbee Lee’s memoir, Cripple Creek Days, offers a unique perspective on American industrialization by chronicling her childhood in the gold rush town of Cripple Creek, Colorado. This bustling mining town, far from the stereotypical image of the Wild West, sheds light on the realities of life in an industrial city of the West.

Life in a Western Mining Town:

Lee’s memoir portrays Cripple Creek as a microcosm of an industrial city. It was a place driven by resource extraction, with a diverse population drawn by the promise of opportunity. Similar to eastern industrial centers, Cripple Creek likely had:

Full Answer Section

Harsh Working Conditions:Mining was dangerous and physically demanding labor, just like factory work in the east (as discussed in Chapter 18 of The American Yawp).
Social Stratification:The memoir might reveal a hierarchy, with mine owners at the top and miners at the bottom, mirroring the economic disparity between industrialists and workers in the east.
Rapid Growth and Busts:Boomtowns like Cripple Creek likely experienced rapid population growth followed by decline as resources dwindled, similar to the boom-and-bust cycles of eastern industrial cities.

Similarities and Differences:

However, Cripple Creek likely also differed from eastern industrial centers in some ways:

Focus on Resource Extraction:While eastern cities were hubs of manufacturing, Cripple Creek’s lifeblood was mining, shaping its social and economic fabric.
Frontier Mentality:Lee’s memoir might hint at a wilder atmosphere compared to eastern cities, with a mix of prospectors and adventurers alongside families.

The Value of Memoirs in History:

Memoirs like Cripple Creek Days offer invaluable insights for historians:

Personal Narratives:They provide a firsthand account of daily life, emotions, and social interactions, enriching historical understanding beyond dry statistics.
Social and Cultural Context:Lee’s perspective can illuminate the social dynamics, cultural values, and challenges faced by people in a mining town.
Limitations:It’s important to recognize that memoirs are subjective. Lee’s experiences may not represent everyone’s in Cripple Creek, and her childhood perspective might miss the harsher realities.

Critical Assessment:

Cripple Creek Days is a valuable source for historians studying the American West during industrialization. It provides a personal lens into a unique type of industrial city and the lives of its inhabitants. However, historians must combine it with other sources like official records, newspapers, and photographs for a more complete picture.

By recognizing the book’s limitations and using it alongside other sources, historians can gain a richer understanding of the social, economic, and cultural realities of life in a western mining town during this transformative period in American history.

This question has been answered.

Get Answer

No More Worries!

Paper Formatting

No Lateness!

Our Guarantees

American Industrialization 19th-20th Century

Sample Answer

Review of Cripple Creek Days: A Look at Life in a Western Mining Town

Full Answer Section

This question has been answered.

Satisfaction Guaranteed

Why Choose Us