When the Future Feels Uncertain: A History Critical Thinking Warm-Up
During the Industrial Revolution, new inventions like steam engines and railroads were changing everyday life very quickly. For many people, it felt like the world was transforming overnight.
The broadside “Something New Starts Every Day” reflects how people reacted to these rapid changes. Some were excited by new possibilities, while others felt confused or uneasy about how fast everything was moving.
Today, we may be experiencing something similar. Technologies like artificial intelligence, automation, and social media are changing how we work, learn, and communicate.
Warm-Up Reflection
Read the primary source and think about the questions below. Then write a short paragraph responding to one or two of them.
What emotions does the author seem to feel about all these new inventions?
Why might people feel both excited and uncertain when the world changes quickly?
Do you see any similarities between reactions to new technologies during the Industrial Revolution and reactions to new technologies today (like AI)?
A 19th-century broadside titled “Something New Starts Every Day” featuring songs about rapid technological and social change during the Industrial Revolution, including references to steam power, railroads, and new inventions.
Something new starts every day. Sold wholesale and retail, by Leonard Deming ... No. 61 Hanover Street, Boston. Image. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/amss-as112730/>.
