Industrial Revolution Summary Flashcards
What was the Industrial Revolution?
This was a process of change from an economy based on agriculture to industry (factories) and machines.
How did the Industrial Revolution change the way people worked and lived in the 1700s and 1800s? Give 3 examples.
• In 1750 it took pack horses 12 days to go from London to Scotland but by 1900 it took trains 9 hours
• In 1750 8/10 people lived in villages and half of the population worked in farming. By 1900 8/10 people lived in towns/cities and 1/10 people worked in farming
• In 1750 the population was 11 million but by 1900 that had increased to 42 million.
• Cloth was made in people’s homes in 1750 but this changed to big factories
• Small workshops used water to power them in 1750 but by 1900 large factories were using steam power
Why did the Industrial Revolution happen?
As a result of a better understanding of science, medicine and healthcare, the population increased massively in the 1700s and 1800s.
How did the shift from agricultural-based to industry-based economies affect where people lived and worked?
By 1900 8/10 people lived in towns/cities and 1/10 people worked in farming
What were the working conditions like in the newly built factories during the Industrial Revolution? Give 3 examples.
- It was very noisy so some workers suffered from loss of hearing. In many textile mills, the temperature could reach nearly 30°C. Textile mills needed to be kept hot to stop the thread from snapping.
- Cotton particles filled the air making breathing them in unavoidable. This put workers at risk of developing a lung disease
- Dangers of the machines, the machines could chop finger and limbs off if you were not quick enough
What cheap goods were imported to Britain and what did they make out of them?
Cheap goods like cotton were imported to Britain from the colonies. Factories turned it into cloth and sold some of it back to the colonies for huge profits. Britain also made a fortune from the slave trade.
What were some new inventions created in the 1700s?
Steam engines, steam trains, electric generators and telephones were created in the 1700s.
What roles did children play in Victorian factories?
Being small meant they could do jobs adults couldn’t, such as cleaning under moving machinery, with many children tragically losing their lives, Many of the jobs involved working closely with huge pieces of moving machinery, which were easy to become entangled in.
What were some the punishments workers received punished? Name 4.
Punishments included beatings, having heavy weights tied around their necks or even having their ears nailed to tables. Also fines for being late, taking or even just looking out the window.
How many percent of accidents dealt with at the Manchester Infirmary were factory and mill related?
Up to 40% of accidents dealt with at the Manchester Infirmary in 1833, were factory and mill related.
When were new laws introduced to try and change the working lives of women and children?
From 1833 new laws (Acts) were introduced to try and change the working lives of women and children.
Name all 5 factory acts.
• 1833 Factory Act - no children under 9 were allowed to work in factories and children aged 9-13 were only allowed to work 9 hours per day.
• 1842 Mines act - no women or children allowed to work down the mines
• 1844 Factories act - women were not allied to work longer than a 12 hour day and machines had to be made safe
• 1847 Ten Hour Act - Maximum 10 hour day for women and children under the age of 18
• 1895 Factory Act - children under 13 to work a maximum of 30 hours a week
How did the Industrial Revolution affect the living conditions in towns and cities?
• There was pollution in water and the air
• Unhealthy housing, no fresh water or toilets, houses built quickly and not safely and most water for cooking, cleaning and drinking came from the local river or pond
• There was a crime rate increase such as pickpockets, conmen and prostitutes.
What were some of the common diseases that affected people living in industrial towns, and how were they caused? Name 4.
• Typhoid - The typhoid germ lived in urine and faeces. Sometimes sewage would contaminate water or food and pass on the germs. This disease could also be carried by flies which landed on food.
• Tuberculosis - this affected a person’s lungs and gave them a terrible cough.
It was passed by people passing germs to others by coughing and sneezing
• Cholera - Caused by a germ that lives in contaminated water and killed 90% of people who caught it. There were many epidemics of cholera in the 1800s.
• Smallpox - A rash turns into huge pus-filled blisters all over the body. When the blisters fall off they leave deep scars. A vaccine was created for this in 1793 and by 1853 the government made it compulsory to receive the vaccination
What were the main forms of transportation before 1750, and what were the challenges associated with them?
One of the main ways of travel before 1750 was the use of rivers and the sea. However, this was often dangerous as the sea could get very rough and ships could be wrecked or the cargo damaged. Not all towns where goods were needed were near the sea. Rivers could dry up in the summer and freeze in the winter.
What was a turnpike trust?
These trusts promised to improve their stretch of road and keep it in good.
How did the construction of canals impact the transportation of goods during the Industrial Revolution?
Individuals like the Duke of Bridgewater and Josiah Wedgwood built their own canals to carry their goods to their customers that reduced their costs and increased their profits.
How many miles of canals were there by 1830?
By 1830 there was nearly 4000 miles of canals
What did canals make it possible to do now?
It was now possible to transport goods from industrial towns and cities to much of England
What were turnpike roads, and how were they managed?
Turnpike road were gravel roads that you had to pay a fee to use and they were managed by turnpike trusts who took care of their part of the road this meant they could charge people for using it.
How did turnpike roads improve travel times in Britain by 1830?
It now took only 48 hours to travel from London to Edinburgh.
How many miles of railway were there by 1850?
There were over 7000 miles of railway by 1850.
Why did railway companies grow so quickly in Britain during the 1800s?
Lots of individuals invested money in railway companies as they thought easy money could be made.
