Industrialisation and Protest Flashcards
What was the main basis that facilitated the Industrial Revolution
Technological advancements and British huge growing empire
When was the BofE established
1694
How many banks in the country by 1784 excluding London
119
How many banks in the country by 1808
800
Who were the first bankers and how did this system work
The goldsmiths in London would accept peoples gold and store it into gold bars, they would exchange receipts for gold which began paper money
How did goldsmiths and paper receipts help industrialisation
financial transactions became safer and easier, so business startups could access funds much more easily, also provided an easy way to pay workers
Why was goldsmith banking safe
Money could be simply moved from one account in the goldsmith to another account
When were county banks permitted bank note use
1797
What limited growth of banking
Bank of England charter denied use of banknotes for banks with over 6 members
joint stock bank
Bank owned by several people each with shares in the capital
When was the cap on joint stock banks lifted
1826
Why were joint stock banks so good
More stable so investors were more confident and would put ore money into the bank, they could manage larger sums of money needed for big industrial projects
What was the first joint stock bank
Lancashire Banking Company
What 1833 act helped banking further
Allowed joint stock banks in London to issue checks which increased the speed of financial transactions
How many joint stock banks and branches were there in 1866
154 joint stock banks with 850 branches
How was Banking significant in growing the economy
- source of capital that allowed men to start businesses
- provided finance to buy new machinery and technology for factories
- Allowed landed aristocracy to invest in many new developments like railways and docks or buy their own mills
What was the imports of cotton in 1761 compared to 1833
1761 - 3 million lbs
1833 - 300 million lbs
How many people did the cotton industry employ by 1833
833,000
What two inventions allowed the cotton and textile industry to grow so big
Richard Arkwrights water frame
Samuel Crompton’s spinning mule
when was the spinning mule invented
1779
when was the water frame invented
1769
What did Earl of Lonsdale do in 1839
He established Whitehaven harbour in Cumberland
why was the agrarian revolution important
More efficient farming due to machinery meant there was a greater supply of food and lower costs, so even the poorest could afford sustainable diet so they could work and population growth could be supported
How did mechanisation in agriculture indadvertedly help industrialisation
less labour was required for farming which pushed more people into urban jobs in factories
When was the seed drill invented
1701
How did Britain already have trade networks
Ready made trade routes from the early empire and east India company
How did Britains ready trade routes help industrialisation
Britain already had extensive trade routes so could access worldwide markets for all their new products.
What was the British ideology at the time and how did this help with industrialisation
Protestantism was focused on peace and a hard working ethic which helped Britain to create a productive workforce and economic development
Who created the steam engine
Thomas Newcomen
How did industrialisation cause the creation of a middle class
alternative non landowning means for progressing in society as men could develop industry and own factories to earn money
what was the size of the middle class in 1816
160,000
what was the size of the middle class in 1831
214,000
What principle did the middle class follow
Free Trade that everything they did main focus was profit
How was Richard Arkwright a perfect example of the middle class
He was born the son of a modest tailor and couldn’t afford to go to school but died in 1792 with a £500,000 personal fortune
Why did the emergence of a middle class help the working class
They provided factory which allowed people to earn living wage which a proper job and grew many urban centres
why did the emergence of a middle class hinder the working class
established a master and workers dynamic in the workplace and in society which set the grounds for the social unrest among the working class
Why was Lancashire favourable for cotton
Its climate was well suited as it stopped the cotton thread from splitting, it was also located very close to Liverpool so raw cotton could be imported from USA and textile products could then be exported from Liverpool
What was the divide in industry in Britain
The north became very focused on manufacturing and industry but the south remained agriculutural
What industry was in north east
Mining
What industry was in the north west
textiles
what industry was in the midlands
engineering and car manufacturing
In 1750s how many cities had over 50,000 people
2 London and Edinburgh
In 1851 how many cities had over 50,000 people
29 cities
What caused Britains mass urban migration
prospect of employment in factories where the poorest people could earn a living wage
What 3 ways was infrastructure developed to help the country become more linked
Canal, Roads, Railways
What was the low cost form of housing provided for the growing industrial urban population
Back to Back housing
What was Manchesters population by 1831
182,000
What was the governments approach in the period
Laissez Faire
Laissez faire
Minimal involvement from the governments with the economic preceedings in Britain inspired by Adam Smith free trade
How did the laissez faire approach help industrialisation
Allowed industrialisation to grow freely without any constraints or regulations allowing extreme profits
Combinations Acts 1799 and 1800
Stopped the formation of trade unions
Master and servant act when and what
1823 made failure to fulfil a work contract a crime punishable by imprisonment
What two acts did the government introduce that kept Britain growing economically at the expense of human welfare
Combinations Acts and Master and Servant Act
Why did the Government want to nationalise water utilities in the mid 1800s
It was ran by private companies who didn’t run a consistent service
Was the rail network private or public
private
What was the first rail line conceived in 1820s
Stockton and Dartington
How did the Governments maintain control over railways even when it was private
They controlled which companies could be incorporated and the lands that could be sold to the companies
Railway regulation act when and what
1844 strengthened state power over the railways and gave them the option to nationalise
What three economic acts by the government reinforced the idea that the government wanted to allow free trade to dictate the pace of Britains growth
- 1813 Repeal of the statute of Artificers
- 1826 Banking Co-partnership Act
- 1846 Corn Law Repeal
Repeal of the statute of Artificers when and what
1813 removed the act that had put some regulation on wages and working conditions
Banking Co-partnership Act when and what
1826 repealed the act that put a limit on the number of joint stock banks
Corn Law Repeal when and what
1846 removed restrictions on corn imports allowing for free trade
Great Exhibition what and when
1851 was a display of Britains great industrial goods and inventions
Who was the famous socialist who wrote on the awful living conditions in Manchester in 1842
friedrech Engles
What was the drawback of rapid urban growth
created overcrowded terrible living conditions with the lack go government legislation to improve them
Why was the air very bad in the back to back housing
they had very little natural light as only one wall had windows so all light was oil lamps and candles, aswell as housing being built next to factories for convenience
How wide were back to back houses
4m
What proportion of Birminghams population lived in back to back housing by 1801
2/3
Why was sanitation so bad in urban areas
Speed of urbanisation put strain on water supply and drainage systems as the water companies struggled to adapt to the overcrowding amounts of people
Why were the communal toilets a problem
Cesspits usually weren’t built well so would leak into water supplies and wouldn’t be emptied enough so would overflow, this would cause a lot of disease which spread easily due to overcrowding
Where was the first major cholera outbreak in Britain and how many people died
Sunderland 1831 killed 32,000 people
Why wasn’t issues on sanitation and disease solved
There was no knowledge on bacteria and the causes of disease at the time
Why did Urban areas lack communal space
densely packed cheap housing left no space for communal and leisure areas and these were seen as an extra unnecessary cost
what was the impact of lack of communal space
Meant the standard of living in these working class poorer areas was very low, compared to more affluent middle class areas which had more space. This created a class divide and promoted class consciousness and hatred between middle and working
cottage industry
Work was carried out in each persons home rather than in big communal factories
Who began the factory system
Richard Arkwright built his cotton mill in 1771 employing 300 people
What was the factory owners attitude to business practice
Focused solely on profit so maximising output and minimising cost, led to neglect of working conditions and exploitation
What was a working week for all industrial workers
6 days a week 14 hour days
How was extreme discipline imposed on factory workers
Fined for lateness or talking to other workers as this was seen as impacting potential profits
How were factories unsafe and high injury risks
Lack of safety measures and tired workers working around heavy industrial machinery increased risk of accidents.
Why did factories have no safety measures
They were seen as extra unnecessary costs that didn’t help to increase profits
What industry was more unsafe than factories
mining due to risk of gas explosions, floods, collapses
What was a creation in 1815 that made mining safer
Davy Safety Lamp
How many tons did coal production increase by between 1770 and 1850
59 million
What caused discontent among miners
They never had a guarantee of work in a contract so never had a fixed stable wage as they worked under then terms of the employer
Separate Spheres
Idea that women would stay at home and run the household whilst men would go to work
Why did working class women work
Working class wages were barely enough to afford basic necessities so women would have to work swell
Why were women useful to an employer
They could be paid half the wage of a man and would do jobs that men refused
In 1821 what % of the working population was under the age of 20
49%
What jobs did children undertake
Scavengers in textile factories to reduce wastage, trappers and hurriers in mines
Mining Act what and when
1842 Stopped women and children under 10 working underground
What was the scandal in mines that caused the mining act
Women and children working alongside naked men underground, began questions on morality of letting children work underground
When and where did the Luddite movement begin
1811 in Nottignham
What caused the discontent that started the luddite movement
Handloom workers adopted aggressive stances on their employers introduction of steam powered looms, eliminating the need for their employment
How did the luddites begin their protest
they wrote threatening letters to their employers with their demands
How many Frames had been destroyed and what was the cost by 1812 in Nottingham
1000 Frames costing £6000-£10000
What Act was passed to make the luddites actions punishable by death
Frame Breaking Act 1812
Did the Act stop the Luddites
No
What was mill owner William Cartwright’s response to the luddites
Brought in soldiers to protect the machines which caused a confrontation in which two luddites were killed
Who was the anti luddite mill owner who was assassinated by luddites
William Horsfall
Why did Luddite disturbances decline
Execution of William horsfall killers along with 14 others
How did the Luddites set a precedent for the coming years
They were the first form of violent industrial protest that the government was faced with
When and where did the swing riots break out
rural south of England in 1830
why did the swing riots break out
two poor harvests left people very poor aswell as their wages and employment declining due to mechanisation and the threshing machine
Why was the Threshing Machine so good
It could do the work of 15 men in one day at threshing corn
What was the social cause of the swing riots
The class divide in rural areas worsened as agricultural workers became the poorest people in the country at the time whilst the richer only became richer from industrialisation
What were the methods of the swing riots
initially writing threatening letters with demands but then burning hayricks and destroying threshing machines
Why did the swing riots scare parliament more
They were rural so took place very close to many of the landed Gentrys homes and land.
How many people were arrested and executed from the swing riots
1976 arrested but only 19 executed
Why were punishments more lenient for swing riots
punishment was left to local JPs who understood the motivation and also didn’t want to rile up more unrest with harsh punishments
Who was the whig MP who in 1825 sought to reduce the working day for children to 11 hours
John Hobhouse
When was the combinations acts repealed
1824
When and where did the ten hour movement begin
1830 in the Pennines workers organised themselves into short time committees that aimed to use mass meeting and petitions
Who were the main organisers of the ten hour movement
Richard Oastler - Agricultural estate manager
George Bull - Vicar from Bradford
What did Oastler do about his concern with children’s conditions
He gave many speeches raising political awareness for the conditions and he wrote a letter to the Leeds mercury comparing it to slavery
Who was the Tory peer that was influenced by Oastler and Bull and was the main force in parliament for the movement
Lord Ashley
Why was the ten hour movement more successful than the violent protest
They appealed to the morality of many respected influential individuals who could provide a voice for the need for reform in parliament
Why was the class diversity of the factory reform supporters its strength
Created a large forceful movement at all levels of society
Why was the class diversity of the factory reform supporters its weakness
Each class and group had their own subjective views on methods of protest and what they were protesting for so systems broke down
What was the main ideas that opposed reform
- Free Trade ideology middle class believed regulations would interfere with profits
- Governments laissez Faire ideology
- Famed whig economist Nassau Senior
what was Nassau Senior main view
Profit was only made in the last hour of the working day once all expenses are accounted for, so factories must be as productive as possible
Health and Morals of Apprentice Act what and when
1802 made better treatment of apprentices and cleaner workplaces
Cotton Mills and Factory Act what and when
1819 made it illegal to employ children under 9
1831 factory act
maximum working day for under 18s at 12hrs
Why were the factory reforms prior to 1833 ineffective
They weren’t enforced
Terms in the 1833 Factory Act
- No child under 9 could be employed
- Children under 13 received 2 hrs of education a day
- children between 9 and 13 could only work 8 hour days
What was the positive impact of the Factory Act
- commitment to morality of the workplace
- concern for prospects of future generation
- Inspection of factories would enforce measures
What was the failed Impact of the factory act
- 4 inspectors for 4000 mills so was ineffective
- Only applied to textile industry
What was the most important feature of the 1833 Factory Act
wasn’t particularly helpful itself but started the motion of reform beginning progress
How did attitudes to industrialisation change from the start of the 1800s to the 30s and 40s
Less focus on solely the economic benefits with more focus on the humanitarian issues that came from industrialisation
Who came into government after 1841
Robert Peel Tory administration
Why did Robert Peels government push for reform in the 1840s
They wanted reform to reduce the social distress in society as they believed this was negatively impacting economic growth and the moral condition in Britain
1844 Factory Act
restricted women’s working hours to the same as 13-18 year olds, 12 hour days
1847 ten hour act
restricted the working day to ten hours for women and children
1850 Factory Act
regulated the times of day women and children could work
1860 Acts
Brought other industries than just textile under the same provisions
What was Edwin Chadwicks report called and when
1842 The sanitary condition of the labouring population of great Britain
What did Edwin Chadwicks report conclude
The causes and spread of disease was because of the poor sanitary living conditions of the working class
Why didn’t the government take action on Chadwicks report
Due to laissez faire they didn’t believe it was a government issue but a local town council one
Health of Towns association when and what
1844 was formed by influential political figures who aimed to lobby and pressure the government for a public health act
Who formed the anti-corn law league and when
Richard Cobden in 1839
Why were the corn laws controversial
They protected Landed Aristocracy interests in their own grain businesses but neglected the working class by making bread more expensive
When was the public health act and what did it do
1848 created a central board of health that would oversee local boards that would be responsible for provision of resources necessary for good sanitation
Why was the Public Health Act not effective
- The board had little to no funding
- Didn’t have authority over previous sanitary corporations
- local boards weren’t compulsory so weren’t put in a lot of places as people believed it promoted excessive government control
What precedent did the public health act set for the future
A growing awareness of the role of industrialisation in causing much poor health and the need for good sanitation for peoples lives to improve
Why do people argue the extreme wealth the Industrial Revolution generated caused the presence of reform
The material benefits brought to the middle and upper class that the working class lacked made them feel benevolence to those less fortunate.
Why did burial raise concerns
Due to the densely packed and larger amount of people, people were being buried in makeshift shallow graves which caused more disease
First Burial Act when and what
1852 created a burial board that would oversee and maintain network of cemeteries in London
What did the 1854 and 1857 burial acts do
extended the first burial act nationwide
Sanitary Act what and when
1866 and made sanitary inspections with records kept of them compulsory, also made failure to enact quarantine punishanble
Why was the sanitary act impactful
Actually enforced record keeping and punishments for failure to carry out sanitary requirements
What were Robert Owens methods
- sent detailed factory reform proposals in 1815
- 1816 speech in the House of Commons
- He wrote many books on reform
What did Lord Shaftesbury do
He was an MP who was in favour of children’s rights and provided over 100 schools for children and supported the ten hour movement
What did Titus Salt do
He owned five mills in Bradford which use the Rodda smoke burner which created less pollution, he constructed an industrial community in saltaire 1850 which had good living conditions
