How Did The Industrial Revolution Affect The Community

Carlie Daquino
Mrs. Sauter
World History/Block G
14 December 2014
Industrial Revolution
I do not agree with the statement that the Industrial Revolution has had more negative effects on the world community than positive. In the long run, the Industrial Revolution led to a better family life, advancements in technology, a rise in consumerism, and a positive impact in world new government.
Family life prior to the Industrial Revolution was centered on the family farm or small local business. Families relied heavily on each other for the essential needs to sustain life. Family members were dependent on the goods and services that they were able to produce. They grew their own food, made their own clothes, and built their own houses.
Families had limited opportunities to move beyond the social class that they were born into or to seek higher levels of education. The Industrial Revolution changed all of this. As factories and cities rose, many more job opportunities were available. There was a high demand for labor due to advances in technology, productivity, and urbanization. Although working conditions were harsh during this early period in time, conditions improved, regulations were enforced, labor unions advanced, and labor laws like the “factory acts” were created to significantly improve standards to what they are today.
The need for an expanded work force also led to greater opportunities for women to develop a career beyond the household.
Prior to the Industrial Revolution, women were typically responsible for household duties and raising children. With a growing demand for a larger workforce, more and more women moved from the household and into the factory. The early years for women in the workplace were not pleasant. Wages for women were far less than wages for males, conditions were harsh, and hours were long. However, over time, movements for women’s suffrage and worker equality began to take hold. Today, women hold very powerful offices in corporations, governments, and social sectors. They have the right to vote and have made significant advancements seeking equality with their male
counterparts.
Another significant impact on families that arose from the Industrial Revolution was the rise in the standard of living for industrialized nations. With the spread of industry, a more complex three-tiered social structure emerged. During this time, a middle class developed due to a rise in the standard of living that resulted from increases in wages due to high labor demands. There were greater opportunities for children to receive a public education and options for individuals to obtain higher levels of education. Technological advances as a result of the Industrial Revolution flourished. As one invention was created, many others were developed. For instance, coal was a crucial source of fuel used to power the production of iron. Iron was used to develop steam engines and machines. Abraham Darby was able to use coal to smelt iron, which led to high quality iron. Iron was used for building railroads, bridges, and steam engines. This led to new ways of transportation and communication. Also, coal was used as a power source. Thomas Newcomen was able to create a steam engine that could be powered by coal. James Watt was able to expand on Newcomen’s inventions creating machine powered railroads, steam engines, and machinery. Today, coal is used to power steel production, electricity, and fuel. Advances in chemistry and agricultural technology also took off as the Industrial Revolution progressed which greatly increased the quality of life. Chemists were able to develop many new products, from medications to fertilizers. New medications, like aspirin and anesthesia, and fertilizers helped with longer life expectancies. Louis Pasteur was able to identify the link between microbes and diseases. He developed a process called pasteurization that was able to kill disease-carrying microbes that were in milk. The fertilizers helped to increase food production and the quality of food. New ways of farming and different agricultural technologies were developed. The cotton gin was created by Eli Whitney, which allowed farmers to separate the seeds from the cotton. Farmers were able to produce more cotton, which led to the ability for factories to produce an abundance of clothing and textiles. Today, those advances have led to a reduction in famine and starvation rates worldwide. Also, medications have increased life expectancy rates, cured and stopped the spread of diseases, and allowed for the development of new vaccinations. Overall, technology advances, as a result of the Industrial Revolution, have had a significant impact on life, as we know it today. Many of the devices, tools, and luxuries we have today were borne out of this era. The Industrial Revolution had a positive affect on religions.
However, it was the grim side of the Revolution that led to an embrace of compassion, charity, and faith. The people of the working class found comfort in religious movements. John Wesly founded this movement and felt that it was important to have personal faith. People tried to restore the faith of the working poor and help worker’s channel their anger toward reforms. Religious leaders were able to influence political, social, and educational developments. Catholics priests and nuns tried to arrange for hospitals and schools to be set up in urban slums and religious labor unions urged for improvements. Many of the religious movements of the Industrial Revolution that backed the “social gospel” and pushed for social changes are the foundation for many of the housing, healthcare, and educational reforms of
today. By and large, there were many positive impacts that came out of the Industrial Revolution. Economies, government, agriculture, social consciousness, art and science all benefited from the gains of the Industrial Revolution. The world is a much better place today, as a result.