Question

(02.07 mc)

which of the following people would have been considered a member of the lower class in the early 20th century?

owner of a factory
engineer at a factory
machinist at a factory
accountant at a factory

Explanation:

Analyze the social structure of the Second Industrial Revolution

During the Second Industrial Revolution, American society became increasingly stratified into distinct socioeconomic classes. The rapid expansion of manufacturing and industrialization created a clear division between owners, professional managers/technical experts, and manual laborers.

Evaluate the socioeconomic status of each option

• Owner of a factory: This individual belongs to the upper class (industrial capitalists or bourgeoisie), possessing significant wealth, capital, and control over the means of production.
• Engineer at a factory: This is a highly skilled, professional role requiring specialized education. Engineers, along with managers, formed part of the growing professional middle class.
• Accountant at a factory: This is a white-collar administrative position. Like engineers, accountants were part of the salaried middle class, enjoying relatively stable incomes and working conditions.
• Machinist at a factory: A machinist is a skilled blue-collar worker. Despite having technical skills, manual factory workers and wage laborers were part of the industrial working class, which was considered the lower class during this era due to hourly wages, lack of managerial authority, and vulnerability to economic downturns.

Connect to historical labor context

In the context of Gilded Age Labor, manual wage earners—including skilled trades like machinists and unskilled assembly line workers—faced long hours, physical labor, and lower relative social standing compared to salaried white-collar professionals. Therefore, a machinist would be classified as a member of the lower (working) class.

Answer:

• Owner of a factory
• Engineer at a factory
• Machinist at a factory (Correct answer)
• Accountant at a factory