Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution is defined as “the rapid development of industry that occurred in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, brought about by the introduction of machinery.” It was known primarily for “the use of steam power, the growth of factories, and the mass production of consumer goods” things that until this time had been unimaginable. The major resources that were needed for the wheels to be set into motion were found in Great Brittan, which provided investment capital, resources and labor, the three key ingredients. Manchester was the first city to reap the benefits of this new industrialized era. With technological advancements right and left, attention was focused on the cotton industry, which was now more efficient and cost-effective than ever before. As the technology advanced and provided new machines, spinning and weaving thread and fabric become quicker and cheaper than any prior methods had been able to achieve. Production was at an all-time high, not only for cotton but numerous other resources. The coal industry was another that experienced a boom, whereas before it had been a backbreaking and extremely dangerous field to work in, technology provided time-saving techniques that made it a much more successful endeavor. The coal that was mined in factories was used to power merchant ships across the seas, further expanding the success of the countries involved.
The industrial revolution began shortly after the French revolution, which played a key role in toppling the Old Regime. By the 1830s, other countries such as Belgium, France and Germany had begun their industrialization of their cities. It provided work to peasants, and provided a very profitable return ratio for its investors. Britain’s rank in the world increased as a result of the success it gained from the industrial revolution in cities, from iron creation, ship-building and textile-weaving, Britain had all the ingredients to become a dominant power. Henry Ford, the inventor of the assembly line, said “There is but one rule for the industrialist, and that is: Make the highest quality goods possible at the lowest cost possible, paying the highest wages possible.” Henry Ford was the founder of the Ford Automobile Company, who, with mass production, brought his Model T to the public at a lower cost than would have been possible.
Not all lives during the industrial revolution were glamorous, conditions were especially horrible for the poor labor class. Their living conditions possessed inadequate sanitation systems and were simply not big enough for the amount of people living there. Before the industrial revolution, many of the workers lived in villages or farms, surrounded by friends, family, and plenty of land. The social impact of the mechanization of Britain was staggering. Quality of life dropped drastically when the industrial revolution came about, bringing immense pollution the likes of which had never been imagined. New materials and means of production meant pollution that was new to the sky and lungs of the population. As this was occurring, drastic economic inequalities also ensued. The rich got richer, while the poor got poorer, and the middle class all but disappeared. Child labor was an advantage to the wealthy investors, young children working in factories and coal mines meant paying lower wages. Youth under the age of eighteen were the driving labor force behind the industrial revolution, 40-45% of the workers were youth. The Factory Act of 1833 was the first child labor law in England, enforcing that children under the age of nine were not allowed to work, and that children under the age of eighteen could only work during the day, a maximum of twelve hours. In the pre-industrial age, before so many new jobs were available, women and children would never be asked to leave the home to go and work, but now the entire family was working side by side in factories.
Advancements in technology continued with the expansion of railroads across the country, allowing steam engines to export more finished products and import more raw materials. The “Spinning Jenny” was another new machine that allowed for increased productivity, invented by James Hargreaves. This device helped reduce the amount of labor needed to produce yarn. This device helped boost production per person, allowing each worker to produce eight spools at once. By the early 1800s, technology was booming, there were canals for ships to pass through, and railroad track for trains to transport goods. James Brindley designed canals to provide transportation to anywhere in the city, while lowering the cost of transportation, transit time was also reduced, increasing profits even more. The next big advancement was in 1829, when George Stephenson created the train he nicknamed “The Rocket,” which was the fastest and largest train to date. Also in the early 1800s, a man named Ned Lud began a revolt against all of this new technology, speaking out against the mechanization of the work force by smashing and destroying machines in the factories to throw a wrench in productivity. He and his followers, mainly English textile workers, became known as the ‘Luddites.” Their message spread across the country and was met with lukewarm support, their main concern being to prevent these new technological advances from taking the jobs that were rightfully theirs.
While technology was where the biggest changes were occurring, science and the way people viewed the world was altered as well. Notable men of this revolutionary era are Charles Darwin, Einstein, Sigmund Freud and Adam Smith. Sigmund Freud brought to life his idea on the ID, ego and superego and changed people’s thoughts about themselves, while Adam Smith wrote ‘The wealth of nations” discussing his opinion that the government should interfere in economic relations as little as possible. He supported the industrialization of Europe and believed that left to its own devices, the economy would work itself out, becoming more fair and balanced than the inequality that plagued the current system. Perhaps the most controversial of all was Charles Darwin. Introducing his theory of evolution had the country in an uproar, and he was attacked by members of the church for being a blasphemer. While many still disagree with his words, his theories are still taught in public schools across America today.
While the benefits of the industrial revolution may not outweigh the cost of suffering it brought with it in some people’s eyes, it is undeniable that without the advancements made in this era, many of the luxuries that are enjoyed today would not exist. The rapid change that the civilized world underwent at this time has not been matched since, and never has so much progress been made in so short a time. Britain went from being mostly rural farmland to a booming metropolis filled with smokestacks and factories, a tradeoff that has both a positive and a negative side. All members of society were affected, life as it was known changed overnight. As a whole, the economy was booming, industry rose skyward, and many had an income that allowed them to purchase items they had never imagined.




Bibliography

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