Industrial Revolution Essentials
SSWH15 The student will be able to describe the impact of industrialization, the
rise of nationalism, and the major characteristics of worldwide imperialism.
Analyze the process and impact of industrialization in England, Germany, and Japan, movements for political reform, the writings of
Adam Smith and Karl Marx, and urbanization and its affect on women.
Enduring Understandings/Essential Questions
The student will understand that technological innovations have consequences, both intended and unintended, for a society.
How did technological changes in societies have worldwide impacts on subsequent generations?
How did industrialization bring about social, political, and economic changes?
CAUSES OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
AGRARIAN REVOLUTON
 Dutch built dikes to protect farmland from the sea and use animal fertilizer to improve soil
 British discover ways to produce more food and invent seed drill
BETTER FOOD PRODUCRTION
POPULATION EXPLOSION
 People eat better
 Women give birth to healthier babies
 Better medical care slows death rate
MORE DEMAND FOR GOODS
ENERGY REVOLUTION
 Water wheels power new machines
 Coal used to fuel steam engine
FASTER PRODUCTION OF GOODS
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
1500-1850
I. Agricultural Revolution—this was the second Agricultural Revolution [the first was the Neolithic Revolution when farming
began]. In 1750, most people still lived in small villages, made their own clothing and tools. In the century that followed, dramatic
changes took place in the way people lived and worked. Improvements in farming allowed fewer people to feed a growing
population which resulted in the availability of people to work in factories.
The Dutch led the way in improved techniques by building dikes to
protect their farmland and using fertilizer to improve the soil with the British soon
following.
Fertilizers, crop rotation, Jethro Tull’s seed drill which deposited seeds
in rows rather than scattering them were some of the agricultural improvements.
Seed Drill
Dikes
The enclosure of land to make larger farms was possible with the passage of laws by Parliament which allowed land that
had once been shared by peasant farmers to be taken over and fenced off. The purpose was to replace the many small strip farms
with larger fields. These larger farms created greater yields and more profits as fewer people were needed to farm. What was to
happen to those displaced farmers? Jobless farmers migrated to towns and cities in search of work. These people became the work
force who would tend the machines during the Industrial Revolution.
This agricultural revolution led to an increase in population. People ate better and were healthier. Better hygiene,
sanitation, and health care slowed down death from disease. During the 1700’s, Europe’s population increased from 120 million to
about 190 million.
1750-1900
The Industrial Revolution
The means of production of goods shifted from hand tools to complex machines and from human and animal power to
steam power. During this period, technology developed rapidly and production increased.
II. WHY BRITAIN?? What did Britain have that made it the first nation to industrialize?
1. Natural Resources—rivers served as a means of transportation and as sources of power, as an island country it had
many natural ports, coal, construction of canals
2.
3.
Population Growth—the increased population from the Agricultural Revolution led to more available workers. Many
displaced farmers moved to the cities where they took jobs in the factories.
Overseas Empire—provided raw materials and markets for manufactured goods
4.
5.
Capital—men were willing to invest in shipping, mining, railroads, and factories
Stable government—supported economic growth, no tolls on rivers, strong navy to protect shipping lanes
III. Use information from the Industrial Revolution Lab and your textbook pages 508-515; 519-522; 524-529 to answer the
following questions.
1. What were and how did the government policies help to encourage industrialization?
2. What role did the population growth play in industrialization?
3. How did cultural changes encourage industrialization?
4. What role did science and the Enlightenment play?
5. What role did technology play in industrialization?
6.
7.
8.
How did the factory system change life?
How did industrialization change politics?
How did industrialization change society including the role of women, child rearing, and leisure time?
IV. New Technologies—Manufacturing shifted from man powered tools, to water powered tools, and
eventually to steam.
1. Thomas Newcomen—developed steam engines to pump water out of mines
2. James Watt—improved Newcomen’s invention to make it more efficient. This would lead
to machinery, locomotives, and steamships driven by steam power.
3. John Kay—flying shuttle increased speed of weaving
4.
John Hargreaves—spinning jenny produced thread
faster to keep up with weavers needs
5. Richard Awkwright—water frame used water
power for spinning rather than man power
V. Domestic System--The manufacturing of goods in particular textiles was done in homes [cottages] prior to the creation of
factories. The domestic system [cottage industry] gave more freedom and independence to the workers, but it was an inefficient
system of production. This work provided income to farmers during hard times. Farmers could use their wagons to help in the coal
industry which gave them extra income. Women could earn money making woollen, cotton, or lace products while still caring for
their homes and children. Children could help in the process as well, in particular in lace making.
VI. Factory System—The textile industry was the first to use the inventions of the Industrial Revolution. As new machines became
too large and expensive to be used in the home special buildings were built to house the machines and workers. These became the
first factories which were located next to running rivers while powered the larger machines. Later, machines were powered by steam
engines, fueled by coal. The factory system promoted mass production, meaning the goods were produced in huge quantities at
lower costs.
VII. The following chart came from http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/bseh/industry/domesticsystemrev3.shtml
Comparison of the domestic system against the factory system
Domestic system
Factories
Small-scale, so not much produced.
Large-scale, so a much greater quantity of goods
produced.
Workers' homes were too small to hold large machines.
Big enough to house machinery, which meant
greater quantities, could be produced.
Hand power only.
Big enough to house a water wheel or steam engine
to power machinery.
Needed a highly skilled craftsman often serving a seven-year apprenticeship, so labor was
very expensive.
Machines could be operated by unskilled labor
such as women and children, which was much
cheaper.
Workmen could work when they wanted to, e.g. many took "Saint Monday" off to get over Employers could enforce factory discipline.
their hangovers from the weekend. They set their own hours. They could take breaks when
they wanted to.
No way of ensuring consistent quality.
Machines all worked to the same standard.
Managers could enforce quality control.
Workers were spread over a wide area, so time was wasted transporting materials from
one to the other.
Workers traveled to the factory in their own
time, therefore, traveling was not a production
cost.
How did the shift from the domestic system to the factory system change the way people worked and lived?
VIII. Transportation Revolution—as the need for a faster and cheaper method to move goods increased private roads and canals
were built by entrepreneurs who charged a toll or fee to use them.
1. Railroad—George Stephenson developed the steam powered carriage which made transportation of goods, cheaper and
faster
IX. Social Impact—
1. Population growth and migration of people to towns caused them to grow. Small towns developed around mines and
factories. Manchester England had a population of 17,000 in 1750 which grew to 70,000 by 1801. Overcrowding soon
became the plight of the masses.
2.
Air and water pollution increased with the growth of industry. Sewerage was dumped into the river which was the source
of drinking water. This contributed to the spread of diseases such as cholera.
3.
The wealthy or upper class consisted of very rich industrial and business families. They often married into noble families.
They lived in elegant neighborhoods and had maidservants to look after their children.
A new upper middle class –doctors and lawyers—and a lower middle class—teachers, office workers, shop owners, and
clerks—emerged. The middle class owned and operated the mines, railroads, and factories. Their lifestyle became more
comfortable as their wealth increased. Some of these men were merchants who invested their profits while others were
inventors or skilled artisans who developed new technologies. These families lived in spacious homes, work nice clothing,
and had a ready supply of running water. Only a few felt sympathy for the poor. Women in this class stayed home to raise
their families.
At the bottom of the social structure were factory workers and peasants. These people benefited the least from the
industrial revolution. Many of the farmers who became workers in the mines often felt displaced and bewildered as they
faced tough working conditions. Over time these workers developed a sense of community despite the harsh working
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
conditions. Children were often a part of the workforce and needed to help supplement the family’s income. Many workers
lived in foul-smelling slums where they were packed into tiny rooms in tenements with no running water or sewerage. Over
time conditions in the cities did improve.
Labor unions—outlawed at this time although protests did occur.
Religion—Methodism was founded in the mid 1700’s by John Wesley. He stressed the need for personal sense of faith and
encouraged his followers to adopt sober, moral ways. This message became a source of comfort to the workers.
Reforms—the British were able to avoid revolt and chaos through a series of reforms to improve working conditions as
well as to increase voting rights
X. New Ways of Thinking—
Economics
1. Thomas Malthus—he saw the effects of industrialization with crowded cities, slums, hungry families, and widespread
unemployment. He concluded that poverty was unavoidable because the population was increasing faster than the food
supply. The only checks on population were war, disease, and famine. He urged poorer families to have fewer children and
discouraged charitable handouts and vaccinations. By the 1900’s, population growth was no longer a problem in the west,
but it did continue to be a problem elsewhere.
2. Adam Smith—asserted that the free market would help everyone not just the rich. Goods would be produced at lower
prices, making them affordable to everyone; a growing economy would encourage capitalists to reinvest their profits.
Laissez-faire [leave business alone] was the term used to describe his beliefs.
3. David Ricardo—his gloomy outlook for the working class became known as the “Iron Law of Wages”. He pointed out that
wage increases were futile since they would only cover the necessities because when wages were high people often had
more children instead of raising their families’ current standard of living.
Limited Government
1. Utilitarianism—Jeremy Bentham stated that the goal of a society was “the greatest happiness for the greatest number”. All
laws therefore should be judged by their utility. In other words, did they provide more pleasure than pain. He supported
individual freedom but saw the need for government to be involved under certain circumstances.
2. John Stuart Mill—influenced by Bentham, although he believed in individual freedom he wanted government to step in to
improve the lives of the working class. He wanted women to have the right to vote.
Socialists
1. Socialists saw a growing gulf between the rich and poor because of industrialization and wanted to end poverty and
injustice. Under socialism, people as a whole rather than private individuals would own and operate the means of
production—farms, factories, railways, large businesses….. It grew out of the enlightened belief in the basic goodness of
human nature, and its concern for social justice.
2. Utopian Socialists—Robert Owen set up a model community in New Lanark, Scotland. He believed if there were no rich
and poor then fighting between people would end. He refused to use child labor in his mill and encouraged labor unions.
3.
Communism—in the 1840’s, Karl Marx, this form of socialism condemned the ideas of utopian socialists as unrealistic
idealism. He formulated the concept of “scientific socialism” which was based on the scientific study of history. He teamed
with Frederick Engels to write The Communist Manifesto in which they saw the inevitable struggle between social classes
would lead to the creation of a classless society where all the means of production would be owned by the community.
Marx despised capitalism and called for an international struggle to bring about its downfall—“Workers of the world
unite!”
XI. Russia Industrializes
Russia remained the sole outpost of absolute monarchy in the 19 th and early 20th century. Society was dominated by a titled
nobility who furnished the state with military officers and leading government officials. Until 1861, most Russians were peasant
serfs, bound to the estates and subject to sale. In Russia, serfdom approximated slavery. While in the United States and elsewhere
social and economic change was initiated by workers and businessmen. In the 1890’s, Nicholas II’s government focused on
economic development.
Russia’s industrialization focused on heavy industry and encouraged the building of railroads to connect iron and coal
mines to factories and to transport goods throughout Russia. It also secured foreign capital to invest in industry and transportation
systems, such as the Trans-Siberian Railroad, which linked European Russia to the Pacific Ocean.
Political and social problems increased with industrialization. Government officials and business leaders applauded
economic growth while nobles and peasants opposed it, fearing the changes it brought. Industrialization also created a new social
life as peasants flocked to the cities to work in factories. There they found long hours, low pay, and dangerous working conditions.
In the slums around the factories, poverty, disease, and discontent grew. Radicals sought supporters among the industrial workers
handing out brochures that breached the revolutionary ideas of Karl Marx.
XII. Japan Industrializes
In the 1800’s the Meiji leaders of Japan made the economy a priority. They encouraged businesses to adopt Western
methods. They set up a modern banking system, built railroads, improved ports, and organized a telegraph and postal system. The
government typically built the factories and then sold them to wealthy business families who further developed them. Families such
as the Kawasaki soon ruled over industrial empires. These powerful families were known as zaibatsu. By the 1890’s, industry was
booming. Modern machines, shipyards, copper and coal mining and steel making helped to make Japan an industrial powerhouse.
As with other industrial countries, the population grew and people flocked to the cities for work.
The Japanese constitution ended the legal class distinctions which allowed more people to become involved in nation
building. The government set up schools and hired westerners to teach the new generation how to use modern technology. Despite
this class distinctions did survive. Although some women gained an education they still had a secondary role in society. After major
debates women were forbidden political participation and legally lumped together with minors.
Japan modernized with amazing speed under the Meiji in part because of the homogeneous society which shard a common
language and culture. Japan was adept at learning and adapting ideas from foreign nations.