Unit 2 - Industrial Revolution Defintions Flashcards
Continental System
A blockade imposed by Napoleon to prevent British goods from reaching Europe, aiming to weaken Britain economically.
Turnpike Trusts
Private companies that replaced authority of parishes in Britain that built, operate and maintained toll roads, funding infrastructure development during the Industrial Revolution.
Urbanization Movement
The shift of people from rural areas to cities due to industrialization, resulting in the growth of urban areas.
Enclosure Movement
The process of consolidating small farms into larger ones in Britain, leading to more efficient farming methods but displacing many peasant farmers.
Infrastructure
The basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society, such as transportation networks (roads, canals, railroads), and energy systems (water, electricity).
Industrialization
The transition from an agrarian economy to one based on large-scale industry and manufacturing, driven by technological innovations and increased production.
Labor Force
The group of people available and willing to work in factories mines
Capital Surplus
The accumulation of wealth (money or assets) available for investment which was used to fund the growth of industries.
Raw Materials
Natural resources like coal, iron, cotton, and timber that were essential for industrial production.
Steam Engine
A key invention during the Industrial Revolution, developed by James Watt, that powered machinery and transportation, greatly increasing industrial output.
Specialization of Labor
The division of labor into specific tasks, increasing efficiency in manufacturing by having workers focus on one repetitive job.
Textile Industry
A major industry during the Industrial Revolution, focused on producing cloth and garments, which was highly mechanized and reliant on raw cotton.
James Watts
An inventor and engineer who improved the steam engine, making it more efficient and suitable for powering factories and transportation.
Luddites
A group of skilled workers in Britain who protested industrialization by destroying machinery, fearing job losses due to new technology.
John Kay
An inventor who created the flying shuttle, a key development in the textile industry that sped up the weaving process.
Canals
Artificial waterways built to transport goods more efficiently, reducing the cost and time of shipping, particularly during the early stages of industrialization.
Pluralism
A social or political theory that advocates for the coexistence of multiple groups, interests, or cultures within a society.
Laissez-Faire
A political and economic philosophy advocating for minimal government interference in business and markets, allowing free market forces to operate.
Mixed Economy
An economic system combining elements of both capitalism and socialism, where both private enterprises and government play a role in the economy.
Socialism
A political and economic system where the means of production (factories, resources) are owned or regulated by the community or the state, aiming to reduce inequality.
Capitalism
An economic system based on private ownership of the means of production, where businesses operate for profit in competitive markets.
Strike
A work stoppage by employees as a form of protest, often used to demand better working conditions, wages, or benefits.
