The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution was a transformation from agrarian and handicraft-centered economies into economies distinguished by industry and machine manufacture (Bentley and Ziegler 652). It first began in Britain during the mid-eighteenth century and lasted through the nineteenth century (Bentley and Ziegler 652-653). Although the Industrial Revolution was a drastic and ongoing process, does not mean it was an unproblematic change. Many people during this time period experienced positive and negative effects throughout this development.

The Industrial Revolution involved many different areas of the world including Great Britain in Western Europe, the Yangzi Delta in China, and Japan (Bentley and Ziegler 652). Before the Industrial Revolution, manufacturing was done in people’s homes, using hand tools or basic machines (A&E Television Network). Technological development had a huge contribution to the development of producing goods by machines rather than by hand and sources of energy such as coal and petroleum (Bentley and Ziegler). Without this technological development, the increase of productivity would not have occurred. Much advancement leads to power machinery, factories, and mass production. With the increase of products being produced faster, a better system of transportation was improving (A&E Television Network).

One of the biggest industries during the Industrial Revolution was textiles. Many women and children made pants, shirts, socks, bedspreads, and other items by their tiny hands and fingers with cloth. With the population growing in England, more people were willing to pay for these items instead of making the items themselves. This started to lead to a new factory system. With “cotton becoming the world’s most imp...

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...5 million people. By the end of the nineteenth century, it had reached around 390 million people. The rapid population growth reflected changing patterns of fertility and mortality. Once the medical advancements took place, physicians were able to help prevent diseases and the mortality rates started to lower. The fertility rate started to increase because more infants were able to grow into adults, which was resulting in rapid industrializing societies.

The Industrial Revolution was finally becoming a success. Although the Industrial Revolution helped increase the economic productivity with new technology including the new textile machines, factories, more advanced transportation, and population growth, the living standards were very difficult. Many workers started to be replaced because the machines were more effective. This was the start of a new way of life.