Midterm Prep: The Conditions of the Working Class in England, Engels Flashcards
Front: What was “The Jenny”?
Back: James Hargreaves’ ‘Spinning Jenny’ would revolutionize the process of cotton spinning.
Front: Who were the “Agrarian proletarians”?
Back: They were landless laborers who had no land to cultivate and were forced to sell their labor.
Front: What is the hosiery industry?
Back: The hosiery industry produces knitted or woven goods such as stockings, socks, and tights.
Front: Who was Josiah Wedgwood?
Back: Josiah Wedgwood was an English potter and entrepreneur who founded the Wedgwood pottery company.
Front: What was “The Reform Act of 1832”?
Back: The Reform Act of 1832 was an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that introduced significant changes to the electoral system.
Front: What is “Puddling”?
Back: Puddling was a method developed to produce wrought iron from pig iron using a reverberatory furnace.
Front: What was “The Factory Bill”?
Back: The Factory Bill was a series of laws passed by the British Parliament to regulate the working conditions of textile mill workers.
Front: Who is Sir Humphry Davy?
Back: Sir Humphry Davy was a British chemist and inventor who discovered several chemical elements and developed the Davy lamp.
Front: What was the ancien regime?
Back: The ancien regime refers to the political and social system in France before the French Revolution.
Front: What is the “British Mercantile Marine”?
Back: The British Mercantile Marine refers to the merchant ships and sailors of the British merchant navy.
Front: Who were the “Yeomen”?
Back: Yeomen were the middle ranks of servants in an English royal or noble household.
Front: What was “The Master and Servant” Bill?
Back: The Master and Servant Act was a law that gave employers considerable power over their employees and was used to suppress the trade union movement in Britain.
What are some of the products and technologies that were created during the Industrial Revolution?
Textiles (cotton, wool, flax, silk)
Water power (steam engine, coal)
Iron/Steel (mining bridges, railroads, machines)
Transportation (paved roads, canals, railroads, steam ships)
What was the impact of the introduction of coal on the environment?
Coal was the origin of climate change, as it replaced human and natural sources of power
What is enclosure?
Enclosure refers to the process of fencing off previously common land, and converting it to private property
What is proletarianization?
Proletarianization is the process of rural peasants being drawn from the land to the city to become industrial workers
What were some of the social and cultural changes that occurred during the Industrial Revolution?
Fall of Feudalism
Changes in gender roles
Expansion into new territory through developments in transportation
Transformation of agricultural life to industrial life
Triangular Trade: Trade between England (Manchester, Liverpool) Africa and North America
What is the significance of the Spinning Jenny?
The Spinning Jenny revolutionized the process of cotton spinning by allowing operators to spin eight threads at once
What was the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the labor force?
The Division of Labor became more pronounced as labor freed up, and people were able to start specializing
Many rural peasants shifted to city life to become industrial workers
What was the impact of enclosure?
Enclosure excluded people from common land and led to the proletarianization of rural peasants
What was the impact of technological change on competition and innovation during the Industrial Revolution?
Competition leads to the next innovation, which is motivating and leads to cascading technological change
What is the connection between the rise of Protestantism and the Industrial Revolution?
Some argue that the rise of Protestantism, with its emphasis on hard work, played a role in driving the Industrial Revolution
Front: How did technological change and competition contribute to creative destruction?
Technological change and competition led to the development of new inventions and innovations, which replaced older industries and ways of life.
Front: What role did colonialism play in the industrial revolution?
Colonialism provided England with access to raw materials and new markets for their goods, which contributed to the growth of their economy and the development of new industries.
Front: What is the division of labor and how did it contribute to the industrial revolution?
The division of labor refers to the specialization of tasks within a society or organization. In the industrial revolution, it allowed for greater efficiency in manufacturing and the creation of new industries.
Front: What were some of the key packages of technology and products that drove the industrial revolution?
Some of the key packages of technology and products that drove the industrial revolution included textiles (cotton, wool, flax, silk), water power (steam engines, coal), iron/steel (mining, bridges, railroads, machines), and transportation (paved roads, canals, railroads, steam ships).
What was the enclosure of the commons and how did it contribute to the industrial revolution?
Back: The enclosure of the commons refers to the privatization of previously public land in England. This allowed for greater agricultural efficiency and productivity, but also contributed to the displacement of rural workers and the growth of cities.
What social and cultural changes were brought about by the industrial revolution?
Back: The industrial revolution brought about the fall of feudalism, the transformation of gender roles, and the expansion into new territories through developments in transportation. It also led to the commodification of goods, land, labor, and capital, and the normalization of lending money.
What were some of the negative effects of the industrial revolution?
Back: The industrial revolution led to the exploitation of workers, the destruction of traditional ways of life, and the creation of environmental problems such as climate change. It also contributed to the growth of slavery and the development of new forms of social inequality.
Pros of city life
Cities offer greater job opportunities, particularly in manufacturing
Cities are hubs for innovation and technological change
Cities can offer more diverse cultural experiences
Cons of city life
Moral degradation, according to some perspectives
Overcrowding and unsanitary living conditions in some areas
Greater class stratification
Pros of country life
A more idyllic, pastoral way of life
A greater sense of community and connection to nature
A way of life more rooted in tradition
Cons of country life
Disconnection from the rest of the world
Limited job opportunities and less access to innovation
Destruction of traditional ways of life due to technological change
Simlarities with TCM
Both texts analyze the major changes brought by the Industrial Revolution in their respective contexts.
Both texts examine the impact of new technology, the division of labor, and the rise of industrial capitalism.
Both texts explore the social and economic consequences of these changes, including the rise of the working class, changes in gender roles, and the impact on rural communities.
Both texts also touch on the environmental consequences of industrialization, with The Condition of the Working Class in England noting the introduction of coal as the origin of climate change and TCM examining the impact of industrialization on natural resources and the environment.
Differences from TCM
The Condition of the Working Class in England focuses specifically on the conditions of industrial workers in England, while TCM takes a more global perspective and examines the rise of capitalism and its impact on the world.
What is Triangular Trade?
Back:
Triangular Trade was a trade route between England (Manchester, Liverpool), Africa, and North America, where manufactured goods from England were sent to Africa in exchange for slaves, who were then sold in North America for raw materials that were shipped back to England. This trade was a significant part of the Industrial Revolution and played a significant role in the rise of slavery as it is known today.
Front: What is meant by the commodification of goods, land, labor and capital?
Back: The commodification of goods, land, labor, and capital refers to the process of transforming things that were previously considered outside of the market economy, such as land, into commodities that can be bought and sold on the market. This process was a key feature of the industrial revolution and involved the transformation of many aspects of society, including changes in property relations, labor practices, and economic organization.
What were tenent farmers?
Tenant farmers were farmers who did not own the land they farmed, but rather rented it from a landlord.
Front: How did yeomen become tenant farmers?
Back: Yeomen, who used to own and cultivate their own land, were forced to become tenant farmers due to the Enclosure movement. The process of Enclosure allowed wealthy landowners to fence off and privatize common land that yeomen had previously used for grazing or cultivating crops, leaving them with no choice but to become tenants on the enclosed land.
How did Gender roles change during this period?
As more men moved to work in the factories, women and children were put to work in the mills and mines as well. This marked a significant change from traditional gender roles where women were primarily responsible for domestic work and child-rearing.
The Industrial Revolution also created new opportunities for women to work outside the home and become financially independent. However, it also led to long working hours and poor working conditions for women and children in the factories.
What was the effect of this time on the scottish?
The quote highlights the impact of infrastructure development in Scotland in the early 19th century, which brought the people of the Highlands into contact with the rest of civilization. This led to a significant shift in the way of life of Highlanders, who moved away from poaching and smuggling to become smallholders and domestic industrial workers. However, it also brought about the loss of traditional Gaelic language and customs, as the influence of English civilization grew stronger.
What were the factors that marked the Transition from feudalism to capitalism in agriculture
Enclosure of the commons (used analogously today): “revolution of the rich against the poor”
Agricultural concentration
Tenant farmers + wage laborers
Tech change: crop rotation, fallow, fertilizer, new crops
Productivity - frees labor, cheap food
Commodification of goods, land, labor, capital
