Industrial Revolution - Effects Of The Industrial Revolution

workers growth conditions power

The Industrial Revolution brought about dramatic changes in nearly every aspect of British society, including demographics, politics, social structures and institutions, and the economy. With the growth of factories, for example, people were drawn to metropolitan centers. The number of cities with populations of more than 20,000 in England and Wales rose from 12 in 1800 to nearly 200 at the close of the century. As a specific example of the effects of technological change on demographics, the growth of coke smelting resulted in a shift of population centers in England from the south and east to the north and west.

Technological change also made possible the growth of capitalism. Factory owners and others who controlled the means of production rapidly became very rich. As an indication of the economic growth inspired by new technologies, purchasing power in Great Britain doubled and the total national income increased by a factor of ten in the years between 1800 and 1900.

Such changes also brought about a revolution in the nation's political structure. Industrial capitalists gradually replaced agrarian land owners as leaders of the nation's economy and power structure.

Working conditions were often much less than satisfactory for many of those employed in the new factory systems. Work places were often poorly ventilated, over-crowded, and replete with safety hazards. Men, women, and children alike were employed at survival wages in unhealthy and dangerous environments. Workers were often able to afford no more than the simplest housing, resulting in the rise of urban slums. Stories of the unbelievable work conditions in mines, textile factories, and other industrial plants soon became a staple of Victorian literature.

One consequence of these conditions was that action was eventually taken to protect workers—especially women and children—from the most extreme abuses of the factory system. Laws were passed requiring safety standards in factories, setting minimum age limits for young workers, establishing schools for children whose parents both worked, and creating other standards for the protection of workers. Workers themselves initiated activities to protect their own interests, the most important of which may have been the establishment of the first trade unions.

Overall, the successes of the technological changes here were so profound internationally that Great Britain became the world's leading power, largely because of the Industrial Revolution, for more than a century.

David E. Newton

KEY TERMS

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Agrarian: —Relating to farming and agriculture.
Patent: —A grant given by a governmental body that allows a person or company sole rights to make, use or sell a new invention.
Smelting: —The process by which a metal is obtained from its ore.

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User Comments

over 1 year ago

Wish this article listed inventions born from the Industrial Revolution and how they've had a lasting impact on the world...

Plus this article is mainly about the revolution and Britian. Needless to say, this revolution spread to North America and eventually the entire world.

The game.

9 months ago

stupid bitches that gave me no info whts so ever

<(-_-)>

8 months ago

Talos's Student

RJ IS AWESOME!

4 months ago

Wendy

I was just looking for articles relating to the industrial revolution. The comments I see here by what I presume are students is a sad reflection on our society.

8 months ago

this article sucks my big black c ock!!!!!!! f ucking a ssholes cant teach nothing

about 1 year ago

brittany

this article sucks booty instead of being at my boyfriends house im here looking up crap for my history project. i hate you mrs. trevino this totally sucks!!!! imma make it rain hoe!!! lol

about 1 year ago

hey

over 1 year ago

ELF

over 4 years ago

wat is citing?

9 months ago

U stupid motherfuckers that did not help me what so ever for my project <(-_-)>

about 1 year ago

Kurt

ang pangit nyo

8 months ago

Funny guy

wow looks like someone's a fan of big black c ock lmfao

9 months ago

BIG TITIES

about 1 year ago

I may suggest a very interesting book for those who want to know more about the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain.It's under the title of"The Industrial Revolution 1760-1830"written by T.S Asheton and i wish it will helpfull for you as it's for me

about 1 year ago

Dammit Joe you made me lose the game!!

about 1 year ago

frew

about 1 year ago

Thanks for the help..

about 1 year ago

awesome

9 months ago

call me 414-315-1494

11 months ago

barstards

about 1 year ago

kiout

dumb

about 4 years ago

very helpful article

about 1 year ago

mum

stupid cunts!

5 months ago

Papa Steve

Way to suck d ick. This article and almost every other has pretty much nothing good.

over 1 year ago

Gboss

Why are there so many short articles out there. I just need a good article and this taught me about as much as my pinky did.

over 1 year ago

nice article, but its spread into other parts of the world and its impact on africa wasn't mentioned.

about 4 years ago

Citing is when you use this information in your own works, you have to cite it r you'd be plagerising it.

11 months ago

great info i copied everythinq for my global project ;D

about 1 year ago

Madison Harper

dike

about 1 year ago

ralph

yo mom is citing

11 months ago

great info> i copied everythinq for my project ;D

11 months ago

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about 1 year ago

the article helps a little but it would help a lot more if it told when the industial revolution began and why did it begin in the first place and what where some of the inventions and ways that helped spread the industrial revolution through europe and all the ither continets it spread through to...

3 months ago

Audri

This article really sucks.

t(O.Ot)fluff you.

6 months ago

it should be more upgraded

8 days ago

woofie

not much help....-.-

14 days ago

bob