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.