The Industrial Revolution (1750-1850)



The Industrial Revolution (1750-1850)

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The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain and was a slow process in which production shifted from simple hand tools to complex machines. Rural (country) life began to change by the mid 1700’s. Agricultural changes such as crop rotation, the invention of the seed drill, and experiments with fertilizers increased crop production. Wealthy landowners took over and fenced off land formerly shared by peasants. This practice is known as enclosure. Farm output and profits rose. Fewer farm workers were needed because of these changes. Small farmers were forced off their land because they could not compete with large landowners. Jobless farmers moved to cities and formed a labor force. Changes in agriculture caused rapid population growth. Death rates declined because of better nutrition. Improved hygiene and sanitation and improved medical care slowed deaths.

New Technology- helped trigger the Industrial Revolution. Coal was used to power steam engines. Thomas Newcomen developed a steam engine powered by coal to pump water out of mines. James Watt, a Scottish engineer improved Newcomen’s engine. Coal was a vital source of fuel in the production of iron, a needed material for construction of machines and steam engines. In 1709, Abraham Darby found ways to smelt or remove impurities from iron and coal so that higher quality and less expensive iron could be produced, which was used for building railroads.

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Why the Industrial Revolution Began in Britain:

1. Resources- Great Britain had large supplies of coal to power steam engines and iron to build machines. Workers (human resources) were available to labor in factories.

2. Technology- Britain had many skilled mechanics and inventive people.

3. Economic Conditions-A business class in Britain had accumulated capital, or money to invest in enterprises such as shipping, mines, railroads, and factories. The population explosion increased the demand for goods. Prosperity made goods affordable.

4. Political and Social Conditions- Britain’s stable government supported economic growth . They had a strong navy to protect their empire and overseas trade. Many entrepreneurs came from religious groups that encouraged thrift and hard work.

The Textile Industry- Textiles, or cloth were produced in Britain’s first factories. John Kay’s flying shuttle sped up the weaving process. James Hargreaves invented the spinning jenny which spun many threads at the same time. Richard Arkwright invented the waterframe, which used water power to speed up spinning. These machines were eventually housed in buildings built along streams or rivers and powered by steam. Artisans who had previously done spinning and weaving in their homes and then were paid for their work were put out of business by these factories. Machines and factories increased production greatly. Cloth was cheaper to produce on machines. Some of the unemployed artisans protested these changes by destroying machines and burning factories. (Machines caused technological unemployment.) They became known as Luddites, named after a fictional person, Ned Ludd, who was blamed for the destruction. Eventually these violent acts calmed down and factories and machines became the norm.

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Changes in transportation- Turnpikes were privately built roads that charged fees to travelers who used them. Canals were dug to link rivers and towns. Stronger bridges and better harbors expanded trade. The steam locomotive made growth of the railroads possible. More goods could be shipped overland. The first railroad line connected Liverpool and Manchester, England. In 1807, Robert Fulton used Watt’s steam engine to power the steam ship, the Clermont up the Hudson River. Eventually, steam powered freighters made ocean voyages easier.

Supply and Demand- As the demand for goods increased, prices fell. Lower prices made goods affordable and created an even higher demand for goods. Life for ordinary people began to change greatly.

The Hardships of Early Industrial Life- The Industrial Revolution brought prosperity and good fortune to many entrepreneurs but for factory workers the time period brought great poverty and misfortune. Rapid urbanization, or movement to cities occurred. Small towns around coal or iron mines mushroomed into cities. Pollution from coal vapors filled the air. Tenements, or multi-story buildings were crowded with many families and had no running water, just community pumps. Waste and garbage rotted in the streets and polluted the waters. Cholera and other diseases spread rapidly.

The Factory System- Factory workers faced long shifts lasting 12-16 hours. Accidents were frequent resulting in loss of fingers, limbs, and lives. Coal dust and lint destroyed lungs. Sick or injured workers were fired. Women were paid less than men for the same work. Jobs took them away from the home for over 12 hours a day, making it difficult for them to care for their children and homes. Factories hired children. Child labor kept families from starving and gave employers a cheap source of labor, but was miserable for the children involved who were sometimes beaten, enslaved, chained to machines, and forced to work 12 or more hours daily with few breaks. Slowly, Parliament began to make changes. The Sadler Report was presented to lawmakers which described factory abuses and led to the passage of laws limiting working hours and types of work for children.

Protests- Workers began to form a sense of community and support, or solidarity. When they organized and protested for better wages and working conditions, they were often fired from jobs and their protests were crushed by soldiers or police forces. Striking and bargaining for better wages and working conditions was forbidden.

The Spread of Methodism- In the mid-1700’s, a new religious movement, Methodism began. John Wesley founded the Methodist Church and encouraged followers to improve their lives by adopting sober, moral ways. They tried to bring hope to the urban poor and set up Sunday schools where people could learn to read and write. They tried to lead worker toward social reform.

Changes for Women- During the Enlightenment period of the 1700’s, a growing number of women began to argue that women were free and equal to men and that they had natural rights of life, liberty, and property. Mary Wollstonecraft of Great Britain was a well know social critic who argued that a woman should be a good mother but that she should not be completely dependent on her husband. In 1792, she published A Vindication on the Rights of Women in which she argued that education would give women the power they needed to participate equally with men in public life. Olympe de Gouge, of France argued during the French Revolution in her Declaration of the Rights of Women that “Woman is born free and her rights are the same as those of men.” She therefore believed that women should be able to vote and hold political office. During the Industrial Revolution, women began to campaign for fairness in marriage, divorce, and property laws. Arguments for women’s suffrage or the right to vote were expressed. Emmeline Pankhurst believed that aggressive tactics would help British women gain voting rights. She organized public protests when Parliament (the lawmakers) met. Violent protests such as burning buildings and smashing windows occurred. Pankhurst and her daughters were arrested. Some women went on hunger strikes and committed suicide to bring attention to suffrage rights. Finally, in 1918, Parliament gave the suffrage rights to women over 30. Younger women (21) gained suffrage rights in 1928.

The Middle Class- grew and benefited the most from the Industrial Revolution. Some were merchants who invested their growing profits in factories. Others were investors or skilled artisans who developed new technologies. Some had risen from “rags to riches” and offered hope to many. They lived in well-furnished homes cared for by servants and the “lady” of the home. The new middle class valued hard work and the determination to get ahead. They often had little sympathy for the poor, who they felt were responsible for their own misery.

A Blessing or a Curse? The Industrial revolution brought much misery but resulted in overall improvements in life. Workers formed labor unions and won the right to bargain for better wages and working conditions. But low pay, unemployment, dismal living conditions persisted for many. As demand for mass-produced goods grew, more factories opened and more jobs were created. Wages eventually rose. People traveled more and spent more money on entertainment. Overall, more material benefits came about and life began to improve for many.

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New Ways of Thinking- Many philosophers and social scientists began to analyze the changes brought by the Industrial period. One thinker, Thomas Malthus predicted that the population the population would grow at a more rapid rate than the food supply and that poverty and misery would result. He urged families to have fewer children. Malthus was wrong…technology improved food production. David Ricardo proposed the theory known as the Iron Law of Wages in which he predicted that people would have more children if wages rose but then these children would grow up and face job competition

and in turn would have smaller families. Physiocrats argued that the government should not interfere with the free operation of the economy. Laissez-Faire, or a “hands-off” approach of the government toward industry was supported by this group. Capitalism, or the idea that individuals can own and freely operate businesses was a system that physiocrats thought should exist without the government setting up laws to regulate them. Adam Smith was one of the most famous physiocrats. He wrote The Wealth of Nations in which he argued that the free markets, unregulated by the government would benefit everyone-the poor and the rich. He said more goods would be produced at lower prices making them affordable for everyone. Then capitalists would reinvest profits in new business ventures, which in turn would result in job creation. He thought that the government should keep its “hands off” in terms of setting up laws to regulate hours or working conditions because these laws might take away profits, which would hurt workers. Malthus, Smith, and Ricardo all opposed the idea that the government should help the poor and believed that individuals should be left to improve lives through hard work and limiting family size.

Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill had different ideas and supported the idea of the government stepping in to improve the lives of workers. John Stuart Mill believed that factory owners did not have the right to profit by harming workers. He supported the vote for women and thought that workers should use political power to improve their lives.

Socialism- Many thinkers condemned the evils of industrial capitalism and supported ending poverty and injustice through a system known as socialism. With socialism, the people, as a whole, not just private individuals would own and operate the means of production, or the farms, factories, railways, and other large businesses. Socialists wanted a society in which everyone would benefit, not just the wealthy.

Utopians- were early socialists who tried to build self-sufficient communities in which all work was shared and property was owned in common. They believed that if there was no difference between rich and poor, that fighting would end. Robert Owen was a successful mill owner but he chose not to use child labor. He also encouraged the formation of labor unions. He set up a factory in Scotland and built homes for workers, opened a school for their children, and showed that a factory owner could make profits by treating workers well.

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[pic][pic]Karl Marx, a German philosopher put forth the theory of scientific socialism in the 1840’s. He teamed up with another German socialist named Friederich Engels and published a pamphlet known as the Communist Manifesto. They said that communism, a form of socialism involving struggle between employers and employees was unavoidable. Marx said history was a struggle between the “haves” and the “have-nots.” The “haves” or bourgeoisie owned the means of production and controlled the wealth. The “have-nots” or the proletariat were the working class who had been exploited or mistreated by the bourgeoisie.. Marx claimed that the proletariat would struggle against the bourgeoisie and fight to take over the means of production and set up a classless society, or communist society. He said that the proletariat had “nothing to lose but their chains” and urged “workers of all countries, unite!”

Eventually, the ideas of Karl Marx were put into practice. In 1917, the Russian Revolution resulted in a communist state. Independence leaders in Asia, Latin America, and Africa turned to communism. Many of these nations, however, began to incorporate elements of capitalism.

Victories for the Working Class- By the early 1900’s, Parliament passed a series of reforms, or positive changes for the working class. In 1842, mine owners were forbidden to employ women or children under 10 in legislation known as the Mines Act. In 1847, women and children were limited to working no more than 10 hours. In the late 1800’s, the government regulated safety conditions in factories and mines and sent inspectors to be sure that laws were enforced. Trade unions were made legal by 1825, although strikes remained illegal. Between 1890 and 1914, union membership soared. Labor Unions worked to win higher wages and shorter hours and pressed for other laws to improve the laws of the working class. Other reforms included improvements in public health and housing for workers. The Education Act called for free elementary education for all children. In the early 1900’s, laws were passed to protect workers with accident, health, and unemployment insurance, as well as old-age pensions. These social welfare laws stemmed from democracy, and although they promoted socialist ideas, they came about through legislation in Parliament through Britain’s Labour Party.

The Industrial Revolution Spreads- Factories soon spread from Britain to France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, other European nations, and the Unites States and Canada. Eventually, Germany became the leading industrial power in Europe due to its abundant supplies of coal and iron ore. These nations went through many of the same social problems as Britain and eventually enacted reforms and allowed labor unions. The demand for goods increased and created more jobs. Globally, nations competed for resources. Many changes occurred such as the introduction of chemicals in new products such as medicines, perfumes, and soaps. Dynamite, an explosive was invented by Alfred Nobel and was used in construction and very sadly to Nobel, warfare. He funded the famous Nobel Peace Prize in response. Electricity started being used. Thomas Edison made the first electric light bulb, which enabled factories to stay open at night. Interchangeable parts and the assembly line were introduced in the U.S. Automobiles and airplanes changed transportation. Samuel Morse invented the telegraph, which could send messages over wires by means of electricity. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Guglielmo Marconi invented the radio. In 1901, he transmitted a message from Britain to Canada.

Changes in the Business World- Entrepreneurs began selling stock or shares of their businesses in exchange for profit-sharing. Businesses that sold stock were known as corporations. Stockholders risked only the amount they invested and hoped to make money if the business did well. Some corporations drove others out of business by forming monopolies, corporations that dominated and controlled entire industries or areas of the economy. Some of these corporations were stopped by governments so that smaller businesses would not be driven out of business.

[pic]The Effects of Urbanization-Cities grew rapidly as rural people streamed in from the country looking for jobs. The population of Europe doubled between 1800 and 1900. The population soared because the death rate fell, not because more babies were born. People ate better, thanks to improved farming, food storage, and distribution. Medical advances and better public sanitation also slowed death rates. Louis Pasteur discovered a link between microbes and disease. He developed vaccines against rabies and anthrax. People began to bathe and change their clothes more often. Better hygiene caused a drop in the rate of disease. Cities became cleaner places. Sidewalks, sewers, skyscraper, parks, and boulevards were created. Slums continued to exist, however. Tenements were crammed with many families,. High rates of crime and alcoholism were constant curses. People were lured to the cities by the promise of work and a better life. Music halls, opera houses, theaters, museums, and libraries provided entertainment and educational opportunities. By the late 1800’s most western countries had granted all men the right to vote. Labor Unions were growing. Safety laws were passed. By 1909, British coal miners won an eight hour day. More public schools and colleges opened and elementary education was free in the U.S. and many European nations. In the late 1800’s woman suffragists fought for voting right, but rights to vote were not gained until after World War I. Old-age pensions and disability insurance were provided. Standards of living eventually rose.

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Charles Darwin- In 1859, Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species. He argued that all forms of life had evolved to their present form over millions of years. He said each species competed to survive and that natural forces or natural selection allowed some species to survive while others died. He claimed that humans and all life forms were still evolving. Darwin’s theories sparked debate that lasted until today. Many Christians felt that the Bible provided a true account of creation and that God created the world and all forms of life in six days. Some Christians, however accepted Darwin’s theory. Some thinkers applied Darwin’s natural selection theories to humans and claimed that some humans were stronger and smarter than others. Some felt the rich were superior to the poor (“Survival of the Richest”) or that industrialized nations were superior to others. These ideas were known as Social Darwinism and they justified superiority and racism.

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Kathe Kolwitz’s The March of the Weavers, etching

Art and Literature in the Industrial Age-Romantic artists and writers reacted against the brutality of the industrial world and longed for the quiet simplicity of rural life in their work. Realist writers and painters depicted life in its raw and industrial form. Charles Dickens wrote about poverty and misfortune in Oliver Twist. Neoclassical Art depicts Greek and Roman culture and encourages order, reason, and discipline. The Industrial Revolution period causes people to climb the social ladder and gain political power. Having a voice in the government was prized in Ancient Greece and Rome. Workers gradually become more empowered in this time period and demand more rights. Romantic Art shows strong imagination and emotion. Many artists felt that it was important to return to nature from the dark and dreary industrial world.

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Japan Modernizes- In 1853, the U.S. sent a naval force led by Commodore Matthew Perry to make Japan open its ports for trade. Japan’s Tokugawa Shogunate had chosen to isolate itself from the outside world, but at this point they decided to learn from the west. Under the Treaty of Kanagawa in 1854, the Japanese decided to open up two ports to diplomatic and commercial exchange. In order to avoid complete takeover of Japan by foreign powers, the 15 year old emperor of Japan whose family had recently been restored to power decided to strengthen Japan by modernizing the nation and strengthening its military. This time period is known as the Meiji Restoration. Government leaders set out to learn about western governments, economies, technology, and customs. Experts from other nations were brought to Japan and Japan sent young samurai to study abroad. (Remember Peter the Great of Russia? He did the same thing!) The Japanese adapted to foreign ideas with amazing speed and success. The business class adopted western methods. A banking system, railroads, ports, telegraph and postal systems were set up. The government built factories and sold them to wealthy families known as zaibatsu. (Corporations such as Kawasaki, Toyota, Kubota, Panasonic, and others are examples of zaibatsu.) By the early 1900’s, industries were booming in Japan and the nation made itself strong enough to resist western takeovers. They had already begun building an overseas empire themselves by taking over areas in China, Korea, and Russia. These takeovers would lead to conflicts in the 20th century world wars.

Vocabulary List: The Industrial Revolution Name:________________________

Industrial Revolution

Rural

Agricultural Changes

Enclosure

Labor Force

Population Growth

Thomas Newcomen

James Watt

Coal

Abraham Darby

List four reasons why the Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain:

Textiles

Flying Shuttle

Spinning Jenny

Waterframe

Technological Unemployment

Luddites

Turnpikes

Canals

Steam Locomotives

Robert Fulton

Supply & Demand

Urbanization

Pollution

Tenements

Factory System

Child Labor

Sadler Report

Solidarity

Methodism

Mary Wollstonecraft-

A Vindication on the Rights of Women-

Olympe de Gouge-

Women’s Suffrage-

Emmeline Pankhurst-

Middle Class

Labor Unions

Thomas Malthus

David Ricardo’s Iron Law of Wages

Physiocrats

Laissez-Faire

Capitalism

Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations

John Stuart Mill

Socialism

Utopians

Robert Owen

Karl Marx & Friederich Engel’s Communist Manifesto

“Haves” or Bourgeoisie

“Have-nots” or Proletariat

Communist Society

List several victories for the working class:

Alfred Nobel and the Nobel Peace Prize

Thomas Edison

Samuel Morse

Alexander Graham Bell

Guglielmo Marconi

Stock

Corporations

Monopolies

Louis Pasteur

Suffragists

Charles Darwin’s Origin of the Species

Natural Selection

Social Darwinism

Romantic Art

Neoclassical Art

Realist Art

Charles Dickens

Commodore Matthew Perry

Treaty of Kanagawa

Meiji Restoration

Zaibatsu

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