How Did The Industrial Revolution Shape The Way We Live Today
Although at times the Industrial Revolution was painful and arduous for many, the outcomes helped shape the way we live today. A number of significant inventions stemmed from this period. The industrial revolution was beneficial for the entrepreneurs who pioneered it; but for the majority of lower class citizens it generated more poverty and harsh living and working conditions. Many country folk abandoned their villages and moved to cities resulting in an overwhelming pollution and overcrowding issue in cities. A new middle class emerged (called the bourgeoisie) who owned and operated factories, mines, railroads, etc. Farmers became miner and factory workers. Women in the middle class stayed at home to raise children, and the wealthy had maidservants to look after their children. Additionally, the children of the working class served on the workforce. Many workers became discontented with their conditions and staged protests; however they were objectively ineffective. Factory workers
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faced harsh conditions and worked shifts of 12 to 16 hours, 6 to 7 days a week. The majority of early factory workers were women because employers assumed that women could adapt more easily to machinery and were easier to manage. Additionally they only paid women workers half of what they paid men. In addition to women, children worked in factories and mines as young as 5 or 6 until later labor reforms outlawed some of the more dangerous jobs for young children and mandated an education. Overall I would say it was essentially positive because we learned from it, and many important ideas and inventions were created.
The early industrial revolution was particularly trying, however with reforms came improved conditions, better hours, pay, and certain rights (i.e working class men could vote). Positive effects included added demand for mass produced goods, therefore allowing the formation of new factories and more, higher paying jobs.
As a whole, the Industrialization changed the way people lived, ate, and worked. It was in part only possible due to a preceding agricultural revolution. The Dutch pioneered new ways in the way people farmed such as building dikes, mixings soil, and applying innovative crop rotations. These improvements increased farm output and ended the food shortage for many, causing the population to grow tremendously. There were also new inventions such as Jethro Tull’s seed drill that allowed farmers to reduce seed waste. In addition to the agricultural revolution, there were other revolutions occurring simultaneously. An energy revolution transpired, during which one of the most important inventions of the entire Industrial Revolution was made. James Watt engineered vast improvements to Thomas Newcomen’s existing coal powered steam engine. Watts’ engine soon became a crucial power source in the revolution. It was used to power machinery, steamships, locomotives, and more. Furthermore, there were pivotal improvements in the method of smelting iron, thus creating a cheaper and more superlative method for manufacturing steam engine parts.
Beyond the social and economic changed, politics were also revolutionized during this period. The aristocrats (the land owning class) were substituted by the capitalists (industrial class) as leaders. Additionally, capitalism expanded to other countries, chiefly the United States. Socialism spread to Britain and France, and communism spread to the Soviet Union. Industrial nations expanded their markets by implementing imperialism and spreading their power over other territories/countries. Lastly, laissez-faire economics took hold, replacing mercantilism in many places. This reduced the interference of government in free trade.
Parts of the world were affected by the industrial revolution at different times. Britain led the way, but other countries soon followed. Shortly, industrialization migrated to continental Europe after applying new technologies from Britain. Russian, Belgian, and German government began subsidizing the new industries. Belgium exceled and became an industrial power like Britain, especially in the coal and iron industries. The industrialization in Japan began around 1870, when a period of westernization took place. Japan began their modernization with an entry into textile industries. The US industrialization began after Britain’s, due to the fact that during this time the U.S was chiefly focused on natural and agricultural resources. Inventions such as the cotton gin, milling machine, and interchangeable parts were the catalyst for the industrial revolution. Soon the United States was on the path to being a global leading industrial nation. You can see that although industrialization took time to make its way to other parts of the world, once there it had a profound effect on each countries’ industries and economy.
Britain lead the way in the industrial revolution because of abundant natural resources, iron, canals, coal for steam engines,n Beginning with the slave trade the business class gained capital, used to invest in enterprises (mining, railroads, factories, etc).Entrepreneurs produced wealth .
The textile industry advanced, developed putting out system, raw cotton was distributed to peasant families who spun it into thread then wove that into cloth, then skilled artisans in tows finished and dyed the cloth. Certain inventions sped up production greatly , like Eli Whitneys cotton gin in America , John Kay’s flying shuttle in Britain (fast weavers) , 1769 Richard Arkwright patented water frame which was spinning machine powdered by water. Factories sprang up in Britain. Transportation revolution capitalists invested in turnpikes (private roads that charged fee ) , canals built , steam locomotive first major rail line was from Liverpool and Manchester . Rural way of life began to
disappear.
Overall the Industrial revolution brought joy to some and suffering to many, but the improvement made are crucial to our society now. Without suffering there is no progress, and without progress we would not be where we are today.
faced harsh conditions and worked shifts of 12 to 16 hours, 6 to 7 days a week. The majority of early factory workers were women because employers assumed that women could adapt more easily to machinery and were easier to manage. Additionally they only paid women workers half of what they paid men. In addition to women, children worked in factories and mines as young as 5 or 6 until later labor reforms outlawed some of the more dangerous jobs for young children and mandated an education. Overall I would say it was essentially positive because we learned from it, and many important ideas and inventions were created.
The early industrial revolution was particularly trying, however with reforms came improved conditions, better hours, pay, and certain rights (i.e working class men could vote). Positive effects included added demand for mass produced goods, therefore allowing the formation of new factories and more, higher paying jobs.
As a whole, the Industrialization changed the way people lived, ate, and worked. It was in part only possible due to a preceding agricultural revolution. The Dutch pioneered new ways in the way people farmed such as building dikes, mixings soil, and applying innovative crop rotations. These improvements increased farm output and ended the food shortage for many, causing the population to grow tremendously. There were also new inventions such as Jethro Tull’s seed drill that allowed farmers to reduce seed waste. In addition to the agricultural revolution, there were other revolutions occurring simultaneously. An energy revolution transpired, during which one of the most important inventions of the entire Industrial Revolution was made. James Watt engineered vast improvements to Thomas Newcomen’s existing coal powered steam engine. Watts’ engine soon became a crucial power source in the revolution. It was used to power machinery, steamships, locomotives, and more. Furthermore, there were pivotal improvements in the method of smelting iron, thus creating a cheaper and more superlative method for manufacturing steam engine parts.
Beyond the social and economic changed, politics were also revolutionized during this period. The aristocrats (the land owning class) were substituted by the capitalists (industrial class) as leaders. Additionally, capitalism expanded to other countries, chiefly the United States. Socialism spread to Britain and France, and communism spread to the Soviet Union. Industrial nations expanded their markets by implementing imperialism and spreading their power over other territories/countries. Lastly, laissez-faire economics took hold, replacing mercantilism in many places. This reduced the interference of government in free trade.
Parts of the world were affected by the industrial revolution at different times. Britain led the way, but other countries soon followed. Shortly, industrialization migrated to continental Europe after applying new technologies from Britain. Russian, Belgian, and German government began subsidizing the new industries. Belgium exceled and became an industrial power like Britain, especially in the coal and iron industries. The industrialization in Japan began around 1870, when a period of westernization took place. Japan began their modernization with an entry into textile industries. The US industrialization began after Britain’s, due to the fact that during this time the U.S was chiefly focused on natural and agricultural resources. Inventions such as the cotton gin, milling machine, and interchangeable parts were the catalyst for the industrial revolution. Soon the United States was on the path to being a global leading industrial nation. You can see that although industrialization took time to make its way to other parts of the world, once there it had a profound effect on each countries’ industries and economy.
Britain lead the way in the industrial revolution because of abundant natural resources, iron, canals, coal for steam engines,n Beginning with the slave trade the business class gained capital, used to invest in enterprises (mining, railroads, factories, etc).Entrepreneurs produced wealth .
The textile industry advanced, developed putting out system, raw cotton was distributed to peasant families who spun it into thread then wove that into cloth, then skilled artisans in tows finished and dyed the cloth. Certain inventions sped up production greatly , like Eli Whitneys cotton gin in America , John Kay’s flying shuttle in Britain (fast weavers) , 1769 Richard Arkwright patented water frame which was spinning machine powdered by water. Factories sprang up in Britain. Transportation revolution capitalists invested in turnpikes (private roads that charged fee ) , canals built , steam locomotive first major rail line was from Liverpool and Manchester . Rural way of life began to
disappear.
Overall the Industrial revolution brought joy to some and suffering to many, but the improvement made are crucial to our society now. Without suffering there is no progress, and without progress we would not be where we are today.