The Market Revolution of the early Nineteenth Century
The Market Revolution of the early 19th century which began around 1815 up until 1846, no doubt rocked America and brought with it opportunities for prosperity, freedom, and the realization of a concept called theAmerican Dream. In the American Dream, first expressed by James Truslow Adams, it stated that citizens of every rank feel that life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement However, a lot of youth who went to far lands to peddle goods, came back to show off their new found wealth to the admiration and envy of their peers who were still tied to their fathers farmland. As a result, this influenced many of these youths to go full time into peddling in the believe that peddling was a get rich quick scheme. It also shifted focus and interest from farming to peddling (Guild, 1937, p. 250).
Mr. James Guild was a Tunbridge farm boy who in the year 1818 barely three years into the revolution, and having reached the legal age of adulthood (21years) was deeply unsatisfied with his situation, which he referred to in his journal as a long confined situation. He was also determined to escape the controlling hold and unpleasant treatment mete out to him by his master, (Mr. Hutchinson) and the apron strings of his aunt, (Aunt Jenush). Aside this, he had an overwhelming resolve to change his job title from a mere farm boy into something more glorifying (though he wasnt exactly sure what this was going to be). So it was that Mr. Guild set out on a journey to nowhere in particular, in search of greener pastures living his family and loved ones behind.
The historical report of the metamorphosis that the career path of Mr. Guild underwent from being a Peddler in 1818 to becoming one of the most sought after miniature painters in London six years later gives a peek into the gradual process brought about by the Market Revolution that culminated in the brighter prospects offered street peddlers and others engaged in similar trade. But being that many of these peddlers like Guild, had to travel far and wide with little or no money and into strange lands where most times they met with a lot of hostility, were homeless, and sometimes lonely, this exposed them to a lot of risk like terminal illnesses, theft of goods and money, and harassment.
Another issue that was prevalent during the peddling era was the tendency for peddlers to buy anything from buttons, hair combs, needles, wrist watch, etc. at almost give-away prices and then resell at unbelievably exorbitant prices. For instance, Guild got an opportunity to buy about five dozens of scissors at 3 cents each, and actually attempted selling at a ridiculous 12 cents each with the intention of making a crazy profit of up to 300 To survive in that era, a peddler needed to be flexible and display his Yankee smarts. This Guild displayed when he ventured into potentially more lucrative businesses like cutting profiles, drawing likenesses and actually starting a writing school as a response to the losses he was continuously making as a peddler of petty goods.
As a result of the industrial opportunities brought about by the market revolution, manufacturers produced far more than was needed to cater for their local market. This popularized the idea of peddling across boarders to dispose of these goods and make huge profits in the process.The transportation system available then was not far reaching enough and also was very expensive. So, in the absence of an effective and affordable transportation system, the peddling entrepreneurs cashed in on the independent, energetic, ambitious and maybe ignorant mindsets of youths within legal adult age who were fed up with the prospects of farming, by entering into business contracts with them that involved payment by way of wages or commision. On the contrary, Mr. James Guild had no master nor did he enter into contracts with any entrepreneur. Instead, he was more or less an independent peddler who plied his trade across many towns and cities all by himself. This independence, as it were, actually came at a cost, because in the many times that Guild experienced untold hardship, or was ill, or homeless, he craved the protection and loving care of his family which were not forthcoming due to this independence.
Though many peddlers where able to improve their financial situations and those of their families through the returns or proceeds made from peddling or other very innovative ventures like painting likenesses, starting a writing school, and painting miniatures (in the peculiar case of James Guild), it was not without its problems or consequences. For instance, pre market revolution, young adult men were contented with working on their fathers farm even into their late twenties in anticipation of eventually inheriting land and independence from their fathers when they must have come of age. But with the advent of the market revolution came a craze for pre-mature independence, impatience, and unhealthy aspiration for sudden wealth. This mindset shift caused youths to view the influence their fathers had on them pre-adulthood as restraining. As a result, children became unruly, insurbodinate and even the servants attitude and respect for their masters nose-dived. With time, more and more young adultmen left their fathers farm to live out their early adulthood fantasies in a state of semi-independence in the market place.
Interestingly, even the few sons that were ready to work on their fathers farm, having caught the entrepreneurial or capitalist bug as a result of the affluence displayed by their peddling peers demanded payment for work done on their fathers farm This became a shocking deviation from pre-revolution era when sons worked for their father more out of a sense of love and duty in return for food, shelter and clothing than for personal financial gratification.
One can even liken the frenzy with which youths embraced peddling as their link to wealth, freedom and independence in the market revolution of the early 19th century to the California gold rush between 1848 to1855. For example, by the time James Guild finished applying his assorted skill sets in Boston, New York, and Charleston, he had amassed a total of 13,000 in profits He later travelled to London, and established himself as a professional painter, dining with the high and mighty in London society, and getting invited to join an exclusive club of fine artists. This success story, plus other stories of formerly penniless youths who went on a peddling expedition and returned wealthy thereby advancing in social status, became the fuel that drove many youths wishing for same fortune to engage in peddling without a care in the world for the inherent dangers.
From a Farm boy in 1818, the Journal of James Guild chronicles how Mr. Guild became one of the greatest miniature painters winning several medals for his superior portraits and miniature paintings in Europe. For a better part of seven years, he met with great misfortune in the course of his travels. Consequently, he despaired, cried, fought, got sick (many times), but managed to struggle through in the hope that if he tries hard enough, he may achieve for himself a respectable status.
But it is very important to note here too that, as it was with Mr. James Guild, many Americans during the Market Revolution of the early 19th century, hoping to turn their fortunes around for the better had to travel long distances, dwelling with complete strangers, endangering their lives in the process. By virtue of these travels, they became disengaged from their friends and family and this caused them great emotional turmoil.
In my opinion, I feel that this era brought much danger to peddlers, strained father-son relationships and caused many of these youths to be alienated from family, friends, and society. A price I think was too high to pay for the good that the freedom, opportunity, and prosperity of the early 19th century presented.
Mr. James Guild was a Tunbridge farm boy who in the year 1818 barely three years into the revolution, and having reached the legal age of adulthood (21years) was deeply unsatisfied with his situation, which he referred to in his journal as a long confined situation. He was also determined to escape the controlling hold and unpleasant treatment mete out to him by his master, (Mr. Hutchinson) and the apron strings of his aunt, (Aunt Jenush). Aside this, he had an overwhelming resolve to change his job title from a mere farm boy into something more glorifying (though he wasnt exactly sure what this was going to be). So it was that Mr. Guild set out on a journey to nowhere in particular, in search of greener pastures living his family and loved ones behind.
The historical report of the metamorphosis that the career path of Mr. Guild underwent from being a Peddler in 1818 to becoming one of the most sought after miniature painters in London six years later gives a peek into the gradual process brought about by the Market Revolution that culminated in the brighter prospects offered street peddlers and others engaged in similar trade. But being that many of these peddlers like Guild, had to travel far and wide with little or no money and into strange lands where most times they met with a lot of hostility, were homeless, and sometimes lonely, this exposed them to a lot of risk like terminal illnesses, theft of goods and money, and harassment.
Another issue that was prevalent during the peddling era was the tendency for peddlers to buy anything from buttons, hair combs, needles, wrist watch, etc. at almost give-away prices and then resell at unbelievably exorbitant prices. For instance, Guild got an opportunity to buy about five dozens of scissors at 3 cents each, and actually attempted selling at a ridiculous 12 cents each with the intention of making a crazy profit of up to 300 To survive in that era, a peddler needed to be flexible and display his Yankee smarts. This Guild displayed when he ventured into potentially more lucrative businesses like cutting profiles, drawing likenesses and actually starting a writing school as a response to the losses he was continuously making as a peddler of petty goods.
As a result of the industrial opportunities brought about by the market revolution, manufacturers produced far more than was needed to cater for their local market. This popularized the idea of peddling across boarders to dispose of these goods and make huge profits in the process.The transportation system available then was not far reaching enough and also was very expensive. So, in the absence of an effective and affordable transportation system, the peddling entrepreneurs cashed in on the independent, energetic, ambitious and maybe ignorant mindsets of youths within legal adult age who were fed up with the prospects of farming, by entering into business contracts with them that involved payment by way of wages or commision. On the contrary, Mr. James Guild had no master nor did he enter into contracts with any entrepreneur. Instead, he was more or less an independent peddler who plied his trade across many towns and cities all by himself. This independence, as it were, actually came at a cost, because in the many times that Guild experienced untold hardship, or was ill, or homeless, he craved the protection and loving care of his family which were not forthcoming due to this independence.
Though many peddlers where able to improve their financial situations and those of their families through the returns or proceeds made from peddling or other very innovative ventures like painting likenesses, starting a writing school, and painting miniatures (in the peculiar case of James Guild), it was not without its problems or consequences. For instance, pre market revolution, young adult men were contented with working on their fathers farm even into their late twenties in anticipation of eventually inheriting land and independence from their fathers when they must have come of age. But with the advent of the market revolution came a craze for pre-mature independence, impatience, and unhealthy aspiration for sudden wealth. This mindset shift caused youths to view the influence their fathers had on them pre-adulthood as restraining. As a result, children became unruly, insurbodinate and even the servants attitude and respect for their masters nose-dived. With time, more and more young adultmen left their fathers farm to live out their early adulthood fantasies in a state of semi-independence in the market place.
Interestingly, even the few sons that were ready to work on their fathers farm, having caught the entrepreneurial or capitalist bug as a result of the affluence displayed by their peddling peers demanded payment for work done on their fathers farm This became a shocking deviation from pre-revolution era when sons worked for their father more out of a sense of love and duty in return for food, shelter and clothing than for personal financial gratification.
One can even liken the frenzy with which youths embraced peddling as their link to wealth, freedom and independence in the market revolution of the early 19th century to the California gold rush between 1848 to1855. For example, by the time James Guild finished applying his assorted skill sets in Boston, New York, and Charleston, he had amassed a total of 13,000 in profits He later travelled to London, and established himself as a professional painter, dining with the high and mighty in London society, and getting invited to join an exclusive club of fine artists. This success story, plus other stories of formerly penniless youths who went on a peddling expedition and returned wealthy thereby advancing in social status, became the fuel that drove many youths wishing for same fortune to engage in peddling without a care in the world for the inherent dangers.
From a Farm boy in 1818, the Journal of James Guild chronicles how Mr. Guild became one of the greatest miniature painters winning several medals for his superior portraits and miniature paintings in Europe. For a better part of seven years, he met with great misfortune in the course of his travels. Consequently, he despaired, cried, fought, got sick (many times), but managed to struggle through in the hope that if he tries hard enough, he may achieve for himself a respectable status.
But it is very important to note here too that, as it was with Mr. James Guild, many Americans during the Market Revolution of the early 19th century, hoping to turn their fortunes around for the better had to travel long distances, dwelling with complete strangers, endangering their lives in the process. By virtue of these travels, they became disengaged from their friends and family and this caused them great emotional turmoil.
In my opinion, I feel that this era brought much danger to peddlers, strained father-son relationships and caused many of these youths to be alienated from family, friends, and society. A price I think was too high to pay for the good that the freedom, opportunity, and prosperity of the early 19th century presented.
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