Three Things I learned:
1. The Industrial Revolution began in Britain due to its Agricultural Revolution, overseas empire, coal and iron deposits, waterways, and mobile labor force.
2. Families at first tried to work together in factories with parents and kids both working long hours before labor laws came into effect.
3. The invention of the steam engine was largely due to an energy shortage in Britain caused by deforestation to make space for more farm fields.
Two Things that Interested Me:
1. The spreading of ideas from Britain to the rest of Europe was done mostly by ambitious workers and entrepreneurs who had to steal designs from Britain and establish them on the continent.
2. The number of inventions developed during that time and the innovations that were made to increase productivity.
One Question I Still Have:
1. How did other nations view Britain's industrial domination in the early years of the Industrial Revolution?
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Spotlight On
The Steam Hammer
In 1834, James Nasmyth opened a shop in Manchester, England and gained a reputation for his steam-powered tools. By 1939, he had developed the steam hammer. It allowed large materials to be forged with great accuracy. Steam was used to hoist a hammering block above a piece of medal. The steam would then be released from the piston, and the hammer would fall.
Nasmyth did not patent and market his invention right away, but quickly did so when he saw one that had been built from his sketches in France. He improved on the design by injecting steam above the piston to add even more force to the downward blow.
The steam hammer resulted in larger forgings using heavier medals and stronger bonds. It was exhibited in the Great Exhibition of 1851. Unlike many inventors, Nasmyth was financially successful and was able to spend the last 30 years of his life with his hobby of astronomy.
In 1834, James Nasmyth opened a shop in Manchester, England and gained a reputation for his steam-powered tools. By 1939, he had developed the steam hammer. It allowed large materials to be forged with great accuracy. Steam was used to hoist a hammering block above a piece of medal. The steam would then be released from the piston, and the hammer would fall.Nasmyth did not patent and market his invention right away, but quickly did so when he saw one that had been built from his sketches in France. He improved on the design by injecting steam above the piston to add even more force to the downward blow.
The steam hammer resulted in larger forgings using heavier medals and stronger bonds. It was exhibited in the Great Exhibition of 1851. Unlike many inventors, Nasmyth was financially successful and was able to spend the last 30 years of his life with his hobby of astronomy.
US Events
Invention of the Telegraph
Samuel Morse showed in 1835 that signals could be transported by wire while working as a professor of arts and designs at New York University. Pulses of current deflected an electromagnet, causing a marker to produce lines on paper. Eight years later, Congress funded money for the construction of an experimental line between Washington and Baltimore. The line was officially opened with the sending of the message, "What hath God wrought?" Telegraph companies were soon constructing lines across the nation, typically along the railroads.
The invention of the telegraph began an era of fast national and international communication. Being used to instantaneous communication, we can understand the importance of such an innovation. Communication continues to be an important and ever-changing field. Today, we are still working to connect more and more of our devices to provide us with constant up-to-date information and to give more people around the world access to the communication systems we enjoy.
Mexican-American War
After the U.S. annexed Texas in 1845, Mexico claimed that the Nueces River formed the boundary between the two nations, while the U.S. claimed it was the Rio Grande. President James K. Polk sent troops to the disputed land, and they were attacked by Mexican troops in April 1846. This gave Congress the chance to declare war. Generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott invaded Mexico. The war ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, in which Mexico ceded nearly all of present-day New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, Texas and Colorado for $15,000,000. The war reopened the slavery-extension issue that had been settled by the Missouri Compromise.
Mexico lost a lot of its best land as a result of the war, and the nation lost internal stability. Even today the country remains behind in development and economic progress. The relationship between the U.S and Mexico is still a bit strained, partly due to the problem of illegal immigrants from Mexico entering the U.S.
In other areas of the world, land disputes continue to be major issues of contention. The dispute between Israel and the Palestinian Authority is one conflict that has yet to be resolved, with the Palestinians desiring to govern lands that Israel claims as its own. The division of North and South Korea is another international issue, recently highlighted by an attack on a South Korean island by North Korea. It is hard to say how long the armistice left over from the Korean War will last.
The invention of the telegraph began an era of fast national and international communication. Being used to instantaneous communication, we can understand the importance of such an innovation. Communication continues to be an important and ever-changing field. Today, we are still working to connect more and more of our devices to provide us with constant up-to-date information and to give more people around the world access to the communication systems we enjoy.
Mexican-American War
After the U.S. annexed Texas in 1845, Mexico claimed that the Nueces River formed the boundary between the two nations, while the U.S. claimed it was the Rio Grande. President James K. Polk sent troops to the disputed land, and they were attacked by Mexican troops in April 1846. This gave Congress the chance to declare war. Generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott invaded Mexico. The war ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, in which Mexico ceded nearly all of present-day New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, Texas and Colorado for $15,000,000. The war reopened the slavery-extension issue that had been settled by the Missouri Compromise.Mexico lost a lot of its best land as a result of the war, and the nation lost internal stability. Even today the country remains behind in development and economic progress. The relationship between the U.S and Mexico is still a bit strained, partly due to the problem of illegal immigrants from Mexico entering the U.S.
In other areas of the world, land disputes continue to be major issues of contention. The dispute between Israel and the Palestinian Authority is one conflict that has yet to be resolved, with the Palestinians desiring to govern lands that Israel claims as its own. The division of North and South Korea is another international issue, recently highlighted by an attack on a South Korean island by North Korea. It is hard to say how long the armistice left over from the Korean War will last.
 |
| Locations of some land-disputes today. |
Three Important People
James Watt
James Watt was born in 1736 in Scotland. He had an apprenticeship in England until he returned to Scotland in 1756 and became employed by the University of Glasgow. He worked to improve the efficiency of the steam engines that had been developed by Thomas Savery and Thomas Newcomen after being called on to repair a model of Newcomen's engine.
He noticed that the alternate heating and cooling of its cylinder was very inefficient and could be improved by keeping the cylinder as hot as the steam entering it. His innovation was adding a separate vessel where the steam could condense so that one part could remain hot and the other cold.
He began selling the machine in 1774 with Matthew Boulton, a venture capitalist. The engine was used in coal mining, textile manufacturing and transportation. Watt made a significant contribution to the Industrial Revolution that unlocked a new source of energy that could vastly increase production and speed up transportation.
Fritz Harkort
Harkort was born in 1793. He worked on his father's estate, on which there was tobacco mills, distilleries and hammer mills to produce steel. He served in England as a Prussian Army officer during the Napoleonic Wars. He observed the achievements that the British were making and wanted Germany to match them. He decided to produce steam engines and set up a factory in an abandoned castle in the Ruhr Valley.
Without any skilled workers, he was forced to hire expensive ones from England. He also had to import the large boilers he needed. He managed to build and sell his engines, and was highly regarded, even being called the "Watt of Germany." Unfortunately, the enterprise was a financial failure, and he was forced out of his company. After that, he became dedicated to the construction of railroads and steam ships. He died in 1880. His life was significant for showing the great efforts that some business leaders undertook to try and spread the benefits of the Industrial Revolution. It also shows the great difficulty of the task.
A badly translated German poem says this about him:
Well was a real man always popular,
As a fighter proved good;
Fritz Harkort with the silver hair
Be praised loudly today.
What he did for the German people,
Will still report to posterity.
The laurel wreath to the veteran,
The old war hero!
I still think the Google Translate feature is pretty cool.
Thomas Malthus
Thomas Malthus was born in 1766 in Surrey, England and was educated at home. His father was a friend of the philosopher David Hume. He graduated from Jesus College in 1788 and earned his master's degree in 1791.
He wrote a panphlet entitled An Essay on the Principle of Population as it Affects the Future Improvement of Society, with Remarks on the Speculations of Mr. Godwin, M. Condorcet, and Other Writers. He argued in it that whereas food production increases linearly, human population can increase exponentially. Therefore, he believed an unchecked population growth would always lead to starvation. Population would eventually be checked by disease, war, disaster and famine. He therefore argued that the birth rate needed to be kept low by having people marry later and abstaining from procreation.
Malthus's ideas were significant for showing the sort of pessimistic views people held in this time of economic and social upheaval. He also was important for creating academic interest in the study of population and demographics.
He noticed that the alternate heating and cooling of its cylinder was very inefficient and could be improved by keeping the cylinder as hot as the steam entering it. His innovation was adding a separate vessel where the steam could condense so that one part could remain hot and the other cold.
He began selling the machine in 1774 with Matthew Boulton, a venture capitalist. The engine was used in coal mining, textile manufacturing and transportation. Watt made a significant contribution to the Industrial Revolution that unlocked a new source of energy that could vastly increase production and speed up transportation.
Fritz Harkort
Harkort was born in 1793. He worked on his father's estate, on which there was tobacco mills, distilleries and hammer mills to produce steel. He served in England as a Prussian Army officer during the Napoleonic Wars. He observed the achievements that the British were making and wanted Germany to match them. He decided to produce steam engines and set up a factory in an abandoned castle in the Ruhr Valley. Without any skilled workers, he was forced to hire expensive ones from England. He also had to import the large boilers he needed. He managed to build and sell his engines, and was highly regarded, even being called the "Watt of Germany." Unfortunately, the enterprise was a financial failure, and he was forced out of his company. After that, he became dedicated to the construction of railroads and steam ships. He died in 1880. His life was significant for showing the great efforts that some business leaders undertook to try and spread the benefits of the Industrial Revolution. It also shows the great difficulty of the task.
 |
| Harkort's Factory |
Well was a real man always popular,
As a fighter proved good;
Fritz Harkort with the silver hair
Be praised loudly today.
What he did for the German people,
Will still report to posterity.
The laurel wreath to the veteran,
The old war hero!
I still think the Google Translate feature is pretty cool.
Thomas Malthus
He wrote a panphlet entitled An Essay on the Principle of Population as it Affects the Future Improvement of Society, with Remarks on the Speculations of Mr. Godwin, M. Condorcet, and Other Writers. He argued in it that whereas food production increases linearly, human population can increase exponentially. Therefore, he believed an unchecked population growth would always lead to starvation. Population would eventually be checked by disease, war, disaster and famine. He therefore argued that the birth rate needed to be kept low by having people marry later and abstaining from procreation.
Malthus's ideas were significant for showing the sort of pessimistic views people held in this time of economic and social upheaval. He also was important for creating academic interest in the study of population and demographics.
The Revolution in Energy and Industry
Chapter 22
Introduction
The Industrial Revolution was a huge change in economic and social life that began in Great Britain and gradually spread to other areas. It had a huge impact on where and how people worked.
An Agricultural Revolution helped spur industry in Britain as it allowed for more and cheaper foods, thus giving average people more money and therefore the ability to buy more manufactured goods. An increasing in population also increased demand.
The textile industry was where the first factories developed. New machines like James Hargreaves's spinning jenny and Richard Arkwright's water frame allowed for vastly increased production. James Watt's improved steam engine allowed Britain's coal reserves to be used to create energy for machines. The development of the railroad was a major innovation that greatly reduced the costs and uncertainty of moving products over land and opened up new and larger markets.
Industrialization also created a new middle class that was not from the aristocracy but believed that it was able to move up in the world. Workers in the new factories, however, had to live with a discipline they were not used to as well as long hours. For a cheap source of labor, many factory owners turned to child labor. The Factory Act of 1833 and the Mines Act of 1842 helped to prevent such horrible working conditions for children.
During this time, women found themselves in low-paying, dead-end jobs, while men were seen as the main source of income for families. Factory conditions resulted in the beginnings of the Labor Movement and its trade unions. Some people turned to Socialism as a method of giving workers what they believed they deserved.
Unit Objective
This blog aims to take a look at how the Industrial Revolution changed the way society functioned.
Essential Question
Q: How did the Industrial Revolution change the lifestyle of the average family?
A: Before the revolution, a family typically did their work on a farm. They had to work long, hard hours, but they were able to work together and enjoyed some level of independence as they produced their product in their own cottage. Working conditions in factories included longer hours, increased discipline, and extreme monotony. In the early days of the revolution, families tried to maintain their unity by working together in the same factory. However, as laws were passed limiting the amount and type of work children could do, it became harder if not impossible for this to be done. Out of this came the idea that women should stay home and take care of the household while the men should do the primary work in the factories. This "separate sphere" for women was encouraged by the harsh day-to-day living in the new urban areas that previous farm-laborers moved to. Women had to march on foot to all the shops needed for supporting the family, giving little appeal to having another job outside the home.
Introduction
The Industrial Revolution was a huge change in economic and social life that began in Great Britain and gradually spread to other areas. It had a huge impact on where and how people worked.
An Agricultural Revolution helped spur industry in Britain as it allowed for more and cheaper foods, thus giving average people more money and therefore the ability to buy more manufactured goods. An increasing in population also increased demand.
The textile industry was where the first factories developed. New machines like James Hargreaves's spinning jenny and Richard Arkwright's water frame allowed for vastly increased production. James Watt's improved steam engine allowed Britain's coal reserves to be used to create energy for machines. The development of the railroad was a major innovation that greatly reduced the costs and uncertainty of moving products over land and opened up new and larger markets.During this time, women found themselves in low-paying, dead-end jobs, while men were seen as the main source of income for families. Factory conditions resulted in the beginnings of the Labor Movement and its trade unions. Some people turned to Socialism as a method of giving workers what they believed they deserved.
Unit Objective
This blog aims to take a look at how the Industrial Revolution changed the way society functioned.
Essential Question
Q: How did the Industrial Revolution change the lifestyle of the average family?
A: Before the revolution, a family typically did their work on a farm. They had to work long, hard hours, but they were able to work together and enjoyed some level of independence as they produced their product in their own cottage. Working conditions in factories included longer hours, increased discipline, and extreme monotony. In the early days of the revolution, families tried to maintain their unity by working together in the same factory. However, as laws were passed limiting the amount and type of work children could do, it became harder if not impossible for this to be done. Out of this came the idea that women should stay home and take care of the household while the men should do the primary work in the factories. This "separate sphere" for women was encouraged by the harsh day-to-day living in the new urban areas that previous farm-laborers moved to. Women had to march on foot to all the shops needed for supporting the family, giving little appeal to having another job outside the home.
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