I'd like to add one more issue to the discussion. The Industrial Revolution changed the concept of work in America on several levels. First, as productivity advanced, so did the need for more workers and more work hours. More people entered the workforce than ever before, actually causing a nationwide shift in polulation from the rural to the more urban areas, where the jobs were.
The State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, was established by the federal government ten years ago to provide health insurance to children in families at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty line.
One of the first smart card prototype created by its inventor Roland Moreno circa 1975. The chip is still to be miniaturized. On this prototype, one can see how each leg of the microchip (center) is connected to the exterior world via a golden connector. Carte Vitale, the smart card used for health insurance in France.