The market revolution has brought about enormous changes in the way Americans live and interact with each other and the environment. Although the market revolution had far-reaching and extraordinary effects on the lives and culture of Americans, which continue to influence them, it also had many deleterious effects on society. In Henry David Thoreau's Walden and Civil Disobedience, he condescended to market changes because they changed the way people lived. Thoreau believed that the market revolution was removing people's enjoyment of freedom and that instead of savoring the simple things in life, people were chasing materialistic goods and were therefore unable to enjoy life. The market revolution occurred during the first half of the 19th century before the Civil War with the introduction of new cutting-edge innovations. People stopped producing for themselves on small farms and began producing for others with prices set by competition. The introduction of new technologies spurred the growth of the modern commercial economy as transportation and communications improved significantly. Before the market revolution, the transportation of goods was expensive and time-consuming, but with the creation of national roads, canals, steamships and railways, the transportation of goods accelerated and its costs increased. decreased. Communication during this period also improved excessively with telegrams. The addition of telegrams allowed merchants to know when to expect their goods and at what price to sell them. Additionally, the market revolution established new methods of production. The creation of mass production factories has changed the landscape of how people operate. Gone are the days when people worked from the comfort of their homes, as individuals were provided... middle of paper... shelter, food, clothing, and fuel to survive. The market revolution in the 19th century changed the mindset of copious individuals about their basic needs. With new innovations that make goods cheaper and easier to obtain, people's greed for more goods has increased. However, the incessant growth of desires makes the individual a “slave” to his desires because he devotes his time to earning money to acquire more, thereby losing his freedom. Henry David Thoreau recognized that people have enslaved themselves to materialistic possessions and often forget the true meaning of life. Faced with the choice of increasing one's ability to acquire more goods and decreasing one's needs, Thoreau believed that minimizing one's desire would lead to a favorable perception, because individuals would have the chance to enjoy the meaning of life and welcome what nature offers them..