The Social Impact of Industrialization
The Industrial Revolution changed life in Great Britain for nearly everyone. Most of these changes did not
occur overnight, however. The turn toward increased mechanization, the harnessing of steam power, the advent
of the railroads, increased production, and the development of factories occurred in Great Britain over four
generations—from 1750to 1850. Not only did the Industrial Revolution change the economy of Britain, it
changed the lives of all who lived and worked there. And while the Revolution eased the pressures and burdens
of certain longstanding problems, it also created new ones.
One great change brought on by the Industrial Revolution
was the development and growth of large factory towns.
Some of these industrial communities came to represent the
centers of production of specific commodities. Manchester,
located in Lancashire in central England, boasted a population
of only 5,000 citizens in 1700. But by 1830, when the town
became the center of the cotton textile industry, its population
grew to 200,000. Liverpool, located west of Manchester,
came to rival London as the country’s second great port, as
Lancashire became home to many textile mills and iron
foundries. (Lancashire’s population increased eight-fold
between 1700 and 1830.) The city of London itself increased
in size from just under one million inhabitants in 1800 to nearly 1.7 million by 1830.
For many in Great Britain, the Industrial Revolution meant a higher standard of living. More people earned
more than ever before. Between 1760 and 1815, the gross national product (GNP) of Britain doubled. However,
much of the rise in the standard of living actually occurred after 1815, since rent and prices went up dramatically
in the decades prior to 1815. (This was due, largely, to the economic impact of the Napoleonic Wars, which
lasted until 1815.) Factories brought about higher wages for British workers in part because factory work was
unappealing and required high wages as the only enticement. Women and children who worked in factories were
paid less than men.
The Industrial Revolution directly affected the structure of families. Prior to industrialization, family members
worked side by side—either on a farm, in a business such as a store or shop, or in a home-based, cottage industry.
With the coming of the factory system, however, all this changed. Factory owners hired women and children in
cotton textile mills because they had smaller hands than men and could do delicate work. 1835, approximately 60
percent of cotton mill workers were women and children. (Industrialization did help to bring about the
emancipation of women since they took jobs outside the home.) With industrialization came new issues for social
reformers of the period. The use of child labor in factories, mills, and mines represents one of the darker sides of
the Industrial Revolution. In 1835, 40 percent of mill workers were under 18 years of age, and 16 percent were
under 13. Some children were forced to work in industry because they were orphans who were expected to be
productive.
Added to such darker issues was the fact that the Industrial Revolution created a world where workers became
completely regimented. They had to fall in line, live with a boss’s orders, respond when mill whistles blew, and
work according to a company clock. This created in many a psychological strain, as they left one world behind
and fell in step with another.
Directions: Answer all questions completely.
1) How much did Lancashire’s population change from 1700 to 1830?
2) From your reading, identify 2 pros and 2 cons of the Industrial Revolution in
Great Britain
3) If a child worked in a factory full time since the age of 7, Explain what long term
effect do you think it would have on them.
4) At what age do you think a child should be able to work full time and why?