25 photos show what life looked like for Americans 150 years ago

Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? . The mid-1870s were a period of significant cultural, economic, and technological transformation. During this time, people dressed in formal fashion and traveled by steamboat, buggy, or railroad. Sports became increasingly popular as people took more interest in leisure activities. By the end of 1875, America - which was then approaching its 100th birthday - was on the precipice of a major transformation. The Second Industrial Revolution was ushering in new industries, innovations, and cultural shifts. It fueled the Gilded Age, and the fast accumulation of enormous wealth was reshaping American society. Interest in leisure and sports began to rise, a middle class emerged, and the Civil Rights Act of 1875 offered hope - albeit short-lived - to African American communities. Every day life also looked different. People dressed in formal apparel as a norm, traveled by steamboat and buggy, and communicated via the then-emerging telegrams. Take a look back in history to see what life was like 150 years ago, from family life and fashion to transportation and food. In the 1870s, families were experiencing significant changes as the Second Industrial Revolution moved people from farmland to cities. After the Civil War, America entered its Second Industrial Revolution. During this time, cities became the place to find a job as factories popped up in urban areas. This sparked a great change in the family dynamic . Before this time period, families mostly lived on farmland and made a living off their land. But from 1870 to 1920, millions of people moved to cities. As more people moved into the cities, daily life became crowded and unsafe for some. People crammed into the streets of New York City 150 years ago, crowding the city. This marked the beginning of tenement housing, which packed entire families into one-room apartments. Most lived in squalor and in unsafe environments. "It was all very dense, very crowded, and unregulated - conditions that fostered disease and inhumane living conditions," the New York Public Library reported. At the same time, people were moving west as train lines expanded. Once the railroads were completed after the Civil War, many people moved out west to settle and farm the open land. While some think of these people as cowboys, the Library of Congress debunked that narrative: The people who moved out west experienced tough lifestyles, including "long, hard hours of labor, poor living conditions, and economic hardship." The country's demographics were changing, too, as thousands of people immigrated from Europe. To combat poverty and hardships, many immigrated to the United States in hopes of a better life. From 1870 to 1900, 12 million people immigrated to the country, per the Library of Congress. At that time, the majority of immigrants were coming from Germany, Ireland, and England. More than 70% of immigrants entered the US via New York City's Ellis Island. African Americans had been freed from slavery a decade prior, but this freedom was still severely limited....

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