Industrialisation and Protest (Social) Flashcards
How many cities had populations over 100,000 by 1850?
9
What was London’s population in 1850?
Over 2.3 million
What impact did improvements to transport infrastructure have?
Expansion of canals, roads and rail networks made the workforce more mobile.
What was the most common type of housing for factory workers?
Back-to-back housing
Proved very efficient, as could fit many people in 1 terrace.
How much did Manchester’s population grow?
From 25,000 in 1772 to 182,000 in 1831
What was Manchester nicknamed?
‘cottonopolis’
What did the 1823 Master and Servant Act rule?
Failure to fulfil an employment contract punishable with imprisonment
Define Oligarchy
Authority concentrated among a few self appointed and self interested people.
What did the Municipal Corporations Act of 1835 achieve?
Removed local autonomy from oligarchies and allowed local councils to control local utilities. (Eg) sewage and water systems.
What is nationalisation?
The process whereby private businesses are taken under public ownership by the state.
Why did the use of canals begin to decrease after the turn of the century? (Early 1800s)
Because the system was slow and could not keep up with the demand.
What did the 1844 Railway Regulation Act achieve?
Strengthened the states control over railway companies, and the opportunity to incorporate them if necessary.
Define incorporation
The act of giving a company legal recognition by making it a separate legal body
What was repealed in 1813?
The Statute of Artificers - this was an act that provided regulation of wages and working conditions since 1563.
What did the 1846 repeal of The Corn Laws show?
That the government was adopting a laissez faire approach - preferring to let private businesses dictate change.
When were the Combination Acts?
1799/1800
What were the Combination Acts?
Prevented the establishing of Trade Unions
Define Trade Union
An association of workers from a trade who work together through bargaining and action to protect and improve working conditions.
What was The Great Exhibition in 1851?
An international exhibition organised by Prince Albert to showcase inventions and goods. More. Than 100,000 artefacts from 15,000 contributors were displayed. And Britain took up 1/2 the floor space!
Describe the back-to-backs
- shared both back and side walls
- 4 m wide
- one room deep
- one wall opening onto a street meant very little natural light.
- poor ventilation = respiratory diseases
What was sanitation like in industrial towns?
Overcrowding resulted in spread of diseases such as cholera, influenza.
Water pumps were in close proximity to open sewers
Describe the cholera epidemic of 1831
The outbreak began in Sunderland
It killed 32,000 people
Why were some of the efforts to improve sanitation unsuccessful?
Because there was no knowledge as to what caused disease, thought to be caused by miasma
Often improvements made in wealthier areas which strengthened the class divisions already in place.
Define Capitalism
An economic concept where trade and businesses are owned privately and run for profit.
How long was the average working day of an industrial labourer
14 hours
How much was a worker fined for being 10 minutes late?
2 hours wage
How much was the fine for talking?
1 spilling or 1/5th of their daily wage
Why were ther no healthy and safety measures in place?
Too expensive - capitalist employers were focussed on profit.
What 1815 invention improved the safety of mining?
The Davy lamp
How much did production of coal increase between 1770 and 1850?
From 6 to 55 million tons
How long was the typical mining shift?
12 hours
What was the problem with employment in mining towns?
No guaranteed fixed wage, and non permanent employment
What were the separate spheres?
The idea that men and women have different roles in society, men often the breadwinner and women the homemakers and raises the children
What was the weekly wage of a factory worker?
12 - 15 shillings
What were women’s role in mines
Used as hurriers - transported coal around which often led to physical injuries.
Operated the windlass - brought coal up and lowered men down
Why were women useful to factory and mine owners?
Could be paid less than the male counterparts, often undertook work that males refused to do (windlass)
What % of the working population were under 20 in 1829?
49%
How were children employed in cotton mills?
Scavengers- crawled under the machinery and collected fallen cotton. Often were injured by the machinery.
How were children employed in mines?
Trappers - opened trap doors for coal to pass through.
Also worked as hurriers with the women (hauling carts of coal around)
What did The Mining Act of 1842 achieve?
Women and Children (including boys under 10) were not allowed to work underground.
