The Industrial revolution was prefaced by the agricultural revolution. Men such as Jethro Tull made technological advances including the seed drill (shown below), and a more wide spread use of the iron plow, which allowed people to farm with more ease, therefore increased productivity. Increase in productivity lead to increase in profit, allowing land owners to purchase machinery to improve their farming techniques.
The free trade of raw materials did not allow for a large profit due to labor deficiency, but with the help of the agricultural revolution, land owners could afford machinery the increased profits and allowed factories to remain open. These improvements led to an increase in populations, supply and demand, and employment. Provided that Great Britain had access to resources from all their colonies throughout the world, they were at another advantage. Britain itself was also very rich in coal and iron. Their location had always aided their foreign trade, and the recently passed enclosure acts allowed for an abundant of workers.
While those in parliament continued to put their own interest at heart, they saw the industrial revolution as a way to benefit their nation, and make it stronger. Better modes of transportation were needed to move goods, and keep productivity in factories high. The entrepreneurs had the funds to finance new industries and purchase machinery for their productions. In order to insure their own success, they passed legislation to build roads, canals, and railways while keeping taxes low.
Other big inventors include John Kay and the flying shuttle which was a mechanical loom, James Watt with his steam engine in 1769, which was a new power source, and helped raise coal from mines with water power. Robert Fulton then used steam power to invent the steamboat, which made transportation for humans and goods much cheaper and faster. Eventually that morphed into the steam powered train from Stephenson. In 1814, the steam engine changed everything from trade to communication, and it changed the way modern Europe moved.
| Steam Engine |
| Flying shuttle |
| Steam Boat Willie |
The Industrial revolution also led to the create of the factory system, the assembly line and the patent system, which was developed to protect inventors' inventions.
Effects: Society, Economy, Environment, and Politics
The industrial revolution only forced urbanization to happen faster and made conditions much worse. As people moved to the cities to find work after they became unnecessary due to machines that took their jobs, same became limited and living areas became congested and dirty. In Britain, the percent of people who lived in cities grew to 54%. Living conditions were often unhealthy, the streets were covered in filth and human waste of all sorts. The lack of sanitation attributed to the poor conditions. Rivers were polluted with human waste and factory waste. The air was filled with smoke and other pollutant including noise. The conditions were deplorable and not healthy or safe to live in by any means. Chadwick, a reformer influenced by utilitarianism, believed that a sewage system and running water would benefit the people in the cities. New sanitation and health laws were enacted to help prevent the spread of disease. People adapted to the notion that cleanliness kept them healthy. This was followed by the bacterial revolution which also helped prevent the spread of illness and helped keep the cities and it's population clean. Scientists like Pasteur, Lister, and Koch developed methods to sterilize wounds and vaccines were discovered to prevent diseases. As a result, mortality rates declined throughout Europe.
| People realized cleanliness was good. |
| Vaccinations helped reduce illness |
In addition to a cleaner life style, public transportation improved urban live styles. Broad streets were build, parks were created from fresh air, and electric street cars revolutionized city life, allowing cities to further expand.
In terms of economic classes, the industrial revolution, once more, changed everything. Social classes were redefined and the average standard of living was raised. But the deference in wealth did not decrease, in fact it increased.
The upper middle class transformed into successful entrepreneurs who ran factories and new industries. Soon they became accustomed to the good life. The middle half of the middle class were the doctors, lawyers, and store owners, per typical middle class life. Within the lower middle class, shopkeepers, white-collared workers and smaller businessmen were the way of life. Skilled workers were also apart of the middle class, such as engineers, managers, accountants, teachers, and nurses.
Middle class life style adapted as well, and now included large meals, dinner parties, fashion, education, and servants. They continued, however, to believe in hard work, religion and self-discipline.
Within the working class, the largest class by far, there were various subclasses. The highest within the working class were the most skilled workers, who considered themselves the working class leaders. Many had strong political beliefs, as well as philosophical ones, and aimed to make a difference and have a say. Below the highly skilled workers were the semiskilled workers who worked in factories, crafts and as domestic servants. Drunkenness was common among the working class and a favorite pass time, as did playing sports. Pubs became a popular hang out along with music halls. The working classes church attendance dropped as they became more secular and work oriented.
Family life also progressed and became closer to today's Modern Family.
Marrying for love was now acceptable in the working class. Prostitution became common among middle to upper class men who put their career first and planned to marry later in life. Family ties grew stronger and mothers became more nurturing. Birthrate declined as public health increased. Families did not need as many children to help work the farms, and more children survived with new vaccines and sanitation laws. It became acceptable for women to stay at home and take care of the family. Women were suppressed into a role of the housewife, which led to their struggle for rights. Desperate for equality, middle class women campaigned for equal right legally and socially.
The industrial revolution was both a push and pull for European countries to expand and colonize into Asia and Africa. They now had the modes of transportation to get to these far off places fast and safe, while they need cheap/free resources of all kinds that could be produced and shipped to Europe to fuel the new supply and demand created throughout Europe. Other political advancements, changes and reforms can be found here.
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