More Medieval than Modern?

 Heavily idealized depiction of farm family, circa 1874.

A couple of days ago I posted this item:

Lex Anteinternet: Are Robert J. Gordon and George F. Will reading my...: Okay, up until this morning I'd never heard of Robert J. Gordon.  I now know that he's a Professor of Social Sciences at Northweste...

This quote is contained with in it:

In many ways, the world of 1870 was more medieval than modern. Three necessities — food, clothing, shelter — absorbed almost all consumer spending. No household was wired for electricity. Flickering light came from candles and whale oil, manufacturing power from steam engines, water wheels and horses. Urban horses, alive and dead, complicated urban sanitation. Window screens were rare, so insects commuted to and fro between animal and human waste outdoors and the dinner table. A typical North Carolina housewife in the 1880s carried water into her home eight to 10 times daily, walking 148 miles a year to tote 36 tons of it. Few children were in school after age 12.

That's a very thought provoking statement.  More medieval than modern. . . in 1870.

Keep in mind that by 1870, we already had trains and heavy industry.  We'd fought the Civil War.  The Industrial Revolution was well on its way.  Newspapers and telegraphs spread the daily news.

Are Will and Gordon right? I'm not saying they are or are not.  Rather, it's an interesting question. What do you think?