Late 19th Century DBQ

There was great change in the late 19th century. Marxism took place and socialism gained ground. Paintings and drawings show these changes. The working and middle class people were the main groups effected by these changes. The changes of the late 19th century caused people's thoughts to change and for life to alter because of movements among the people. Socialism had the greatest effect on the European people due to the drastic thoughts and changes in society with the classes, and how people began to want more from their jobs than a low and unfair pay.

Carl Marx started out with wanting change in work. He wanted there to be a better pay for the work that was put out to create material objects sold to the public. He also felt that everything in the past happened to give reason and effect the causes of what goes on in the present and future. He also saw that women and children were not being treated equal to the men. They were not as important as men were in society. Women were material and were used as housekeepers and caretakers. Children were brought up a certain way by whichever gender they were. Young boys were brought up to be in the working class. Young girls were taught to tend to crops and fields as well as keep the house clean and make the meals. He did not consider this fair, and wanted his ideas to be heard and to take affect in society. A big change that came into affect was the increase in salaries at work as well as minimum wage coming about.

In Document 1, there is a scene of two women sitting on a train with a young boy sleeping next to them. They have their backs to all of the men in top hats who are all in conversation with one another. Women and children were obviously segregated away from the working class men and treated as inferiors. The women and small boy are not in any way of any importance to the working class sitting behind them. They are not of the working class, and instead are beneath it. However, this is not the most important part of the painting. The most important part is the idea that trains were being used as means of transportation. This was new. The train had not been used as transportation before. This was a new concept in the late 19th century.

In Document 2, the painting is set on a rainy day in town. There are people walking around under umbrellas getting to where they need to go. Society in the working/middle class had begun to change. Women walked around with men. A woman named Flora worked for this to happen. She had been considered illegitimate in France and had had all of her inheritance taken away from her. She was married to an abusive husband who, once divorced, was given full custody to their children. Flora worked for women's equality to come into affect. Urban life had taken a turn for the better.

Socialism really had a great affect on the urban society. People of the middle and working class were better off and now getting more money for their work. Women in the middle class were being respected by men. However, in the lower class, this was not the same. Women and children were considered inferior and of little importance. They were disregarded by the working and middle class. Marxism also played a big role in socialism. He caused people to think about what could be done to make their lives better. Socialism really did have the greatest affect on the thoughts of the people and how they acted around one another as well as their pay grade at work.