Handicraft industry and workers, History

Assignment Help:

 Handicraft Industry and Workers

Those who did not work on the land in early modern Europe were mostly involved in manufacturing, which took place primarily in cities and towns. Such work, prior to 1800, was almost all handicraft -- that is to say, the main source of power was the worker's muscle power and the main technology was the worker's skill. Such workers are called artisans, and any tools or machines used by an artisan were less important than muscle and skill.

Artisans worked in small workshops and, for the most part, artisans worked on all aspects of their craft. For example, a shoemaker would assemble the materials and build each shoe that he worked on entirely by himself cut and shape the leather, then attach the wooden sole and metal buckle rather than making only one part of many shoes.

Artisans generally produced goods on a "bespoke" (or what we might think of as special order) basis. So, our shoemaker would make only the number of shoes that were ordered ahead of time by his customers, rather than making many and hoping to sell them later. This was because, in part, artisans had little capital -- other than their tools and their skills. So they could not afford to produce shoes ahead of time and then keep them in stock to sell to customers; they had to wait for someone to order an item before they could acquire the raw materials to produce it. This limited artisans to producing primarily for local demand. This meant producing for those customers who lived nearby, in the same town or village, rather than producing goods that could be shipped elsewhere to be sold. 


Related Discussions:- Handicraft industry and workers

Show the ideals of the colonial goodwife, What are the similarities and dif...

What are the similarities and differences between the ideals of the colonial goodwife, the republican mother, and the cult of domesticity? What political and economic developments

In what year was the first thanksgiving meal, In what year was the first Th...

In what year was the first Thanksgiving meal (that is, the meal of the Plymouth Pilgrims and their Wampanoag neighbors)?

Traditional works of basketry of other native cultures, Where did the Apach...

Where did the Apache learn basketry? Compare the traditional Apache basketry with examples of other Native American basketry (such as Hopi, Tewa, Pomo, and others - research your t

The origin and course of the israeli-palestinian conflict, Explain the orig...

Explain the origin and course of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. What have been the major turning points? Have there been moments when the conflict might have reached a peaceful

Operate on a metaphorical level, Rosenstone argues using examples (e.g. Wal...

Rosenstone argues using examples (e.g. Walker, JFK and A Knight's Tale) that while filmic sequences, events or characters might not have actually existed/occurred, they can still h

Analyze how mexican americans in texas, Analyze how Mexican Americans in Te...

Analyze how Mexican Americans in Texas have used culture/arts/language to define and support their place in the U.S. society. Explain

Prepare a one-act play, In about 250 to 350 words (about a page), create a ...

In about 250 to 350 words (about a page), create a one-act play, one to two pages, with two people discussing the successes/failures of the "New Deal."

Explain the african-american civil rights movement, Give a brief history of...

Give a brief history of the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Discuss the importance of the following in the Civil Rights Movement: The 14th Amendment, Brown v. Board of Educ

Views of the new lands and people he encountered, After reading Columbus' l...

After reading Columbus' letter what do you think his views of the new lands and people he encountered? What seem to be his values, assumptions, and goals as expressed in his letter

Cathedrals of spain, Rembrandt's masterpiece, the nightwatch how is subject...

Rembrandt's masterpiece, the nightwatch how is subject of this painting different from what would be hanging in the palaces and cathedrals of spain, italy,and france? (think of the

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd