Despite greatly enhancing the lives of the middle and upper classes of Great Britain and the United States, the Industrial Revolution brought the poor to an even deeper disadvantage; with living and working conditions becoming increasingly unsanitary and polluted. The rapid urbanization of the two countries, beginning in the early 18th century, not only made them richer (and their products international) but also poisoned their drinking water and exploited many workers.
The Industrial Revolution was a period of major industrialization and technological advancements that took place from the late 18th century to the mid-19th century, characterized by the development of new machinery and transportation systems, growth of manufacturing and production processes, and a shift from manual labor to machine-based work.
The Industrial Revolution: Causes
While there were many factors that allowed the Industrial Revolution to take place in Great Britain, historians agree that the most important ones were:
- Effects of the Agricultural Revolution, which preceded the Industrial Revolution
- Access to natural resources. Britain had the highest quality coal in Europe and abundant other natural resources like iron.
- Technological advancements like the steam engine and power loom greatly improved efficiency of production
- The free market and legal environment that protected property rights and allowed creation of corporations
- Colonization and trade that provided raw materials to British industries and new markets to sell British goods
These factors combined created conditions that allowed the Industrial Revolution to take place, leading to significant changes in the way goods were produced and the way people lived and worked. Let's see how this all happened!
The Industrial Revolution: Background
Beginning in Great Britain and spreading into the rest of the world during the 1830s and 40s, the Industrial Revolution transformed the largely rural, agrarian societies of Europe and the US into more industrial, urban ones. With the introduction of new machinery as well as steam power, Britain's market not only grew within itself but also internationally; specifically in the categories of textiles and iron making.
In the early 1700s, a man named Thomas Newton developed a prototype for the first modern steam-powered engine; it applied the same power that machines used to pump water out of mineshafts. In 1760, a man by the name of James Watt began to experiment with Newton's prototypes and added another water condenser to make the design more efficient. Newton later teamed with Matthew Bolton for the invention of the steam engine with a rotary motion, which allowed steam power to move across all industries (paper, cotton mills, ironworks, waterworks, and canals). Not only did this kickstart the invention of new machinery, but it also heightened the demand for coal to not only produce goods but also to run the railroads and steamboats that transported them.
Fig. 1 - The steam engine
Britain's damp climate was perfect for raising sheep and producing textiles such as wool, linen, and cotton. When machines like the flying shuttle, spinning jenny, the water frame, and the power loom came out, spinning yarns, thread, and cloth was much faster and more efficient. This moved the country's "cottage industries" into more industrialized ones.
The "cottage industry" means that the textiles were produced in small workshops or homes by individual spinners, dyers, and weavers.
The iron industry also saw many changes with the smelting of iron ore being done with coke rather than charcoal; coke was cheaper than charcoal and also produced higher quality material. This new technique allowed Britain to expand its iron industry massively during the Napoleonic Wars of 1803-1815 (as well as the railroad industry later on).
Did you know?
Britain's roads were relatively undeveloped before industrialization, but after the implementation of steam power, Britain had put into use more than 2,000 miles of canals.
The Industrial Revolution moves into America
Samuel Slater
The beginning of industrialism in the US can be traced back to the opening of a textile mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island in 1793 by an English immigrant named Samuel Slater. Slater had once held a job at one of the mills opened by Richard Arkwright (inventor of the water frame). Despite British laws prohibiting the emigration of textile workers, Slater brought Arkwright's designs across the Atlantic. He later built several other cotton mills across New England and became known as "The Father of the American Industrial Revolution".
Despite being inspired and influenced by the developments of Britain, the US followed its own path into industrialism with home-grown inventors such as Eli Whitney and his cotton gin in 1793. By the end of the 19th century, the Second Industrial Revolution was well on its way, and by the end of the 20th century, the US had become the worlds leading industrial nation.
Note: The First Industrial Revolution is followed by the second period of industrialization in the 19th and 20th centuries. This involved more improvements in the steel, electric, and auto industries.
Effects of the Industrial Revolution
While the revolution brought about many positive changes, such as advances in communication, and access to a variety of products, it also had its share of negative effects, including the exploitation of workers and a widening income gap between the rich and the poor. In this overview, we'll take a closer look at both the positive and negative effects of the industrial revolution, examining how they shaped the world in the XIX century.
| Positive effects | Negative effects |
- advancements in communication
- improved standard of living of the middle and upper classes
- increased accessibility to products
- empowerment of women
| - urbanization and environmental problems
- exploitation of workers
- widening income gap
|
Positive Effects of the Industrial Revolution
The industrial revolution's positive effects go beyond the developments in the textiles and iron industries. Communication also saw great advances; the need to communicate over long distances was on the rise. In 1837, British inventors William Cooke and Charles Wheatstone patented the first telegraphy system, similar to what Samuel Morse and others were developing in the US. Cooke and Wheatstone's invention would soon be used for railroad signaling all over the country.
Another positive effect of the industrial revolution was the improved standard of life of the middle and upper classes. They were able to live a more comfortable life, with job opportunities and money flowing in like never before. This was also around the time that women began to leave the house and join the workforce, often in the textile factories.
The mass production of products allowed a new level of accessibility than in previous years and the two country's economies boomed, but at what cost was this rapid development?
Negative Effects of the Industrial Revolution
The negative effects of the industrial revolution were widespread, especially in the cities that experienced rapid growth and urbanization. Life of the working class was plagued by pollution, inadequate sanitation, and a lack of clean drinking water, and the poor continued to suffer greatly despite the economic success of the upper and middle classes. The mechanization of labor led to hard and dangerous working conditions for workers who were paid low wages, and this resulted in heavy worker opposition and the rise of the "Luddites" in Britain who violently resisted the country's industrialisation.
"Luddite" refers to a person who is opposed to technological change. The term was coined by an early group of 19th-century English workers who attacked factories and destroyed machinery in the name of protest. Supposedly, their leader was "Ned Ludd", though it's possible he was a mythical figurehead for the group.
Impact of the Industrial Revolution
The outrage over the standard of both living and working conditions would fuel the formation of labor unions and inspire the passing of child labor laws and public health regulations. The updates aimed to help the poor, working-class citizens improve their lives that had been so negatively impacted.
On one hand, the unsafe working conditions and the pollution from coal and gas are something our world still struggles with today; on the other hand, the development of cities and the invention of new machinery made clothing, transportation, and communication more accessible and affordable. The Industrial Revolution changed the course of history with its developments; transforming society, culture, and economy into something that would create the base for the modern society we know today.
The Industrial Revolution - Key takeaways
- Though the official beginning of the Industrial Revolution is debated, one can approximate that it began around the late 18th - early 19th century in Britain.
- The Industrial Revolution transformed rural, agrarian towns of Europe and America into urban, industrial cities.
- The Industrial Revolution treated the middle and upper classes well, while the poor still suffered for years before the implementation of labor unions, child labor laws, and public health regulations due to the terrible pollution and unsanitary conditions of work/living environments.
- The Industrial Revolution changed the world in the categories of society, culture, and economy, and would lay the foundation for the modern world we have today.
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