The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
An Analysis on the lives of the Upper, Middle, and Lower classes during the Industrial Revolution
I have fully upheld Delbarton’s Honor Code in letter and spirit.
Signature: Anthony Farinacci
Anthony Farinacci
Feb. 12, 2014
European History
Mr. Gentine
Delbarton School
Before the Industrial Revolution, Great Britain made minuscule changes to society and the economy was slow. Once 1750 began, Britain was on the verge of having an Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution shifted Britain from an agricultural society to an industrial society. Many other countries tried to follow Britain and have their own Industrial Revolution, but some were not as successful. Even though the peasants had a rough life during the Industrial Revolution, it did benefit the middle and upper classes. The Industrial Revolution had an everlasting effect on European society because some of the advancements that were made are still used today.
During the Indu...
... middle of paper ...
...onized the manufacturing of cotton and opened up new industries. Arthur Young who lived during the Industrial Revolution had a very powerful quote about Watt. He said, “ In what path of life can a man be found that will not animate his pursuit from seeing the steam-engine of Watt?" James Watt changed the course of the Industrial Revolution with his invention of the Steam Engine. The upper class gained much revenue from the Industrial Revolution.
The Industrial Revolution in Great Britain truly effected Europe in different ways. The peasants worked long hours and lived in poor conditions. The middle class lived modest lives and sometimes were promoted to the upper class. The upper class greatly benefited with the new advancements in technology. The Industrial Revolution helped make Europe a more advanced place, even though it did have some flaws.
happening in the world, with more and more people just accepting the new social classes and not protesting their unfairness. This source not only helps us understand the living conditions of the time but also the change in society that occurred during the Industrial
James Watt made many contributions to this country during the Industrial Revolution. He made numerous improvements on the Newcome steam engine, invented the term horse power, and designed the Sun and Planet wheel. He contributed most of his life to make others' lives easier and for them to prosper and grow.
The industrial revolution was in the late 1700s and early 1800s, it started in England and caused mass production. Certain impacts that were short term where the population boom, and urbanization. Most of the population was the working class and they worked in factories and mines and didn’t get a lot of pay. The industrial revolution resulted in the suffering of the working class in the short-term due to the inhuman working conditions and child labor.
As stated in the textbook, the wealthiest people were seaport merchants that made their business on imports, exports, banks and insurance companies, and urban real estate. An example would be the Boston Brahmins who were a cluster of old Protestant families in Boston that constituted the city’s social elite by the early 19thcentury. The upper class enjoyed the prosperity industrialization granted them as they achieved luxury and extravagance. Below the social elite was a growing middle class that included lawyers, salesmen, clerks, retail merchants, and accountants. Industrialization provided occupations that allowed people to lift themselves higher in the social strata The middle class took advantage of their increased wages by living comfortably and providing an education for their next generation in order to maintain their social standing. The only class that did not benefit from industrialization was the poor working class. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, lower class families relied on their farms for a living. Industrialization has caused entire families to leave the fields and work in factories. The working class faced harsh working conditions and low wages did not provide them any comfort or security. The Industrial Revolution has indeed formed the American social strata, but not all social classes benefited
The Industrial Revolution was an age of great change and growth throughout the world. It represented a change from 1760 and on. The movement started in Great Britain and impacted everything from manufacturing processes to the daily life of every average citizen. The social impacts of the Industrial Revolution greatly impacted the world for years to come. The industrial revolution brought an increase population to urbanized areas, with bad living conditions in the city this lead to an absence of public sanitation.
The industrial revolution reshaped America’s cities, society and way of life in the 1800’s. America is what it is today because of this shift from farmers, craftsmen, and merchants to factory workers, working middle class, and the wealthy class. News ways of transporting goods by using canals, steamboats and trains helped jump start the revolution. The invention of the cotton gin reshaped American slavery, shifting it to the Deep South. The rise of factories led to a new working class of semi-skilled and unskilled workers. All three of these things are responsible for the industrial revolution and bring America in the modern world of today.
The industrial revolution was the most important, which started around the eighteenth century towards the nineteenth century in Europe. This great event was the fastest spreading event in human history. The capacity of economy and population growth was unexpected especially at the areas in which it flourished. The industrial revolution benefited almost everyone around the world and brought about new social classes, large cities and many new innovations including medical discoveries especially in Britain as it based it is scientific innovations on experiments and practical work rather than theories and logic.
In conclusion, the industrial revolution brought many changes to Britain. The changes included the textile industry, the steam powered engines, which helped create steam-powered locomotives and steam boats. Because of this major improvement in the industrial revolution railroads began to sprout and was a more efficient way to transport goods and people across Britain. The Industrial Revolution no doubt brought rapid changes to people’s lives in Britain.
Labor unions and political parties provided protection and a voice to many of the working class, and urbanization provided the stage for reformers to push for modernized cities. Women in this era also had distinct differences in their treatment and standing, regardless of their social class. Two of the key social concerns of this new industrial era in Europe mainly revolved around the emerging social classes and the equality of women. With the advent of technology and the new capitalistic trends of the second industrial revolution in Europe, the era became known as the “age of the middle classes” (719). During this time, the middle class was no longer a “revolutionary group” threatening the ruling class.
(“Effects of The industrial Revolution began in England in the 1700’s. The First Industrial Revolution contributed to the rise of capitalism in that it led to investing in factories, increased production and higher demands for raw materials, led to worldwide trade, new innovations and inventions. Changes in transportation, agriculture, and communication were considered the largest contributions to capitalism (Arellano, n.d). The new inventions led to building more factories for people to work.
The modern world is extremely reliant on technology, whether it has to deal with smart phones, cars, or medicine. Without the Industrial Revolution, the present day would not be the same. The Industrial Revolution was a blessing for the middle class because production, healthcare, and transportation improved. Industrialization improved the lives for all groups of people in Europe because of the advancement of technology. Lifestyles began to improve due in part to the introduction of efficient machines rather than hand production. It was necessary for industrialization to occur in order for the large population to sustain.
The Industrial Revolution was a time of great change in the world and changed the way many products were manufactured. Originating in England and Great Britain, its effects spread across the globe and influenced the way people lived and worked and lead to the modern world known today. While it did not always have positive effects, through imperialism, Britain’s Industrial Revolution brought about technological innovations that transformed the world and its economies.
There were many revolutions that happened throughout the world. The one that really shaped modern day society was the Industrial Revolution in Britain during the 18th and 19th centuries. It changed the whole of Britain and would later change the world. Despite the early social problems of child labour and sanitation created by the Industrial Revolution, its long-term social reforms including; the Factory Act and the Public Health Act outweighed the short-term issues encountered.
In conclusion, the Industrial Revolution had profoundly impacted Europe in the 18th century. The Industrial Revolution also had considerable impact upon the nature of work, people, geography, and technology. It significantly changed the daily lives of ordinary men, women, and children. All of these factors came together in the late 18th century to create the unique conditions in England that culminated in the first-ever Industrial Revolution.
The Industrial Revolution changed England from a rural society to a nation of factories (Fuller, 280). England changed from an agricultural society to an industrial one, as well as home manufacturing to factory production. When Napoleon came into power, people became violent and corrupt, as their former rulers had once been, this was known as the Reign of Terror. " England emerged from the eighteenth century a parliamentary state in which the monarchy was largely a figurehead," according to Pfordresher. Pfordresher, 423).