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How To Improve American Life And Living Conditions

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Throughout the first three centuries of American History, a prominent theme is the improvement of life and living conditions. This theme is shown through the improvement of human civil rights and technological developments that revolutionized once arduous tasks. Beginning with the arrival of pilgrims in the Americas, the conditions of life were deplorable. The colonizers encountered a harsh winter in a foreign land with no knowledge of the crops, animals, or land. Fortunately, a native north american with the name Squanto guided the pilgrims in Plymouth and aided them in their survival. Though life was not easy or pleasant, it was, to an extent, sustainable at this point. From this position, the settlers were able to construct a new society and put laws into place. However, this new country would have to fight for independence to be able to decide their own way of living and governing. By 1789, George Washington was elected as the first president of the United States and played a crucial role in the development of the country. The example he set by resisting a kingship and proposing a democracy, would persist for the rest of history, allowing the people to improve their lives. …show more content…
One of America’s greatest source of economic income was from exporting raw materials, more specifically cotton and tobacco. The work necessary for cultivating these crops was incredibly difficult and exhausting. However, in 1793 a man by the name Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin which made the harvesting of cotton fifty times more efficient. Additionally, he was responsible for revolutionizing mass-production by proposing the idea of interchangeable parts. This would prove important in developing the country economically as well as causing

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