Friday, March 13, 2020

What Would Your Job Be Like If It Were in the 1700s

What Would Your Job Be Like If It Were in the 1700s With 200+ years of innovations and changes since July 4th, 1776, some of the same jobs were  just as important then as they are today.   Let’s take a look at how they have changed since the United States of America declared its independence. HealthcareDuring the Revolutionary War effort, nurses were in high demand for the military to mend the sick and wounded,  earning 2 to 4 dollars per month.   Today, with the U.S. healthcare industry nearing $3 trillion and integrating with modern  innovations in technology,  a myriad of opportunities continue to grow in healthcare.   While specialized education is often required, competitive salaries follow those who pursue it.PublishingJohn Campbell brought us  The Boston News-Letter in  1704,  the colonies’ second paper which lasted 72 years.   Same as today, nearly every town in colonial times strove to have a homegrown publication.   The internet has completely revolutionized news media  with an ever gr owing number of devices and publication mediums, and in some cases, completely free and available to the public.ManufacturingOn the cusp of the industrial revolution, the American colonies began with simple textiles and hand looms to what would today become the world’s second largest global manufacturer.   Some of the top manufacturing sectors in the U.S. currently include chemical, machinery and energy.ConstructionDuring colonial times, ship building was a large sector for carpenters and builders.   Homes and buildings used primarily brick, wood and stucco.   Today, the construction industry in the U.S. employs over 7 million workers in commercial, residential, aerial and naval sectors and showing steady growth since 2008.Finance  The Continental U.S. largely financed the Revolutionary War through loans from the French government and other foreign allies, leaving control to the political elite of the Continental Congress.   Today, the complex finance industry repre sents nearly 8% of U.S. GDP, with leaders headquartered  in cities like Charlotte, Atlanta, Omaha and Minneapolis.  FarmingAlways an integral part of American industries, farming was just as important then as it is now.   Most Americans during the westward expansions had farms to support their families and service small local markets.   Today, American agriculture is a $70 billion industry expanding across the country and serving to feed the  entire globe.