Texas Modernization Journey: From Agricultural Roots to Oil-Fueled Transformation

Abstract

Changes and Modernization in Texas Texas as a state was incredibly rural with very little growth or development economically. The social and cultural aspect of the state was also very slow. Most natives clung to unprogressive beliefs and traditions that resulted to slow modernization. However, there was a few modernization elements that attributed to slow but gradual progress in the state. The economical aspect of the region was greatly influenced and would later result in prosperity and immense change after 1930. Until 1900, Texas State was heavily reliant on industries like lumbering, cotton farming, cattle keeping, and flour and grist milling for their economic livelihood (Orrenius14, 2013). However, things were about to change with the discovery of oil fields near [City, State]. The Texas oil boom (the gusher age), was a period of dramatic change and economic growth in the U.S state of Texas. With oil came immigration, urbanization, and an expanding economy. The success of the oil and natural gas industry helped diversify the state economy which had immensely been dominated by agriculture. With time, railroads were developed, jobs were created and economic production increased. Travel, retail, and technology would later grow to allow more economic development. It also resulted in the establishment of crucial industries from local and international investors. However, the immense changes, the discovery of gases and petroleum products, urbanization, and migration didn't guarantee modernization in all aspects (Orrenius14, 2013). Some attributes of Texas remained pre-modern and resistant to change. For instance, the new economy only reinforced the state's reliance on the production of primary goods. Primary goods involved the mining activities of oil and natural gases, timber, agriculture, and ranching. Most occupants of the state didn't aim to produce more finished products. Also, the jobs in the mines were only...