Final answer:
The middle class, which emerged during the Industrial Revolution, consisted of professionals, small business owners, and individuals who valued hard work and education. They played a more significant role in politics and commerce post the American Revolution and typically lived comfortable lives, focusing on improving social standing.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term middle class refers to a social group that emerged significantly during the Industrial Revolution and became an integral part of society. This class was comprised of professionals like doctors, lawyers, factory managers, bank employees, salespeople, engineers, and scientists. Additionally, the middle class included those who owned or operated small businesses such as small factories and stores. They were also known for valuing cleanliness, discipline, morality, hard work, education, and good manners and lived fairly comfortable lives.
The Industrial Revolution was a pivotal time in which the middle class gained significance, playing a larger role in industrial and commercial operations with roles like engineers, foremen, accountants, and bureaucrats. Members of the middle class included those who had risen from artisan and merchant backgrounds, often with some familial wealth, and they generally sought to improve their status through hard work and education, providing their children with schooling and encouraging 'self-improving' activities.
Furthermore, with the changing social structure after the American Revolution, individuals who were once craftsmen, traders, and local merchants started playing a more considerable role in politics and military service, cementing their positions in the middle class. They were typically landowners but not as wealthy as the gentry and worked actively to participate in the newfound political dynamics of the time.