The term industry comes from the Latin word Industrius – meaning to be active or diligent. (Stearns, p. 2).
Social thinkers and writers during the 18th Century spoke of an “industrial revolution” to bring about positive changes in their economic world. This idea seemed to parallel the revolution occurring in the political world. The Industrial Revolution, which lasted from 1760 to 1850, started and evolved in Great Britain. The largest and most important improvements would bring about new ideas that fueled the reformation of the economy. The industrial revolution was a time period in which virtually every aspect of life improved. Ideas of thought were based on the economy changing from that of an agrarian society to one of industry. The changes would have a huge impact on the agriculture, the manufacture of textile, the introduction to inventions, and social reformation.
The Industrial Revolution originated and took off in Great Britain. During this time in the world Great Britain had a fortunate combination of natural, economic, and cultural resources. It had abundant supplies of coal, rivers, and developed canals, all which are important to the revolution itself. Britain also had a growing supply of available capita. There were well developed banking and credit institutions as well as private wealth. The British banking systems were secure which made the capita more readily available for new economic enterprises and business during the revolution. It also made the transfer of money and goods a lot easier. It enabled importing of goods such as silks and cottons. Also, the profits from the British slave trade between Africa and the Caribbean helped fuel industrial investment. It has been pointed out, however, that slave trade and West Indian plantations provided only 5% of the British national income during the years of the Industrial Revolution (Ashton, p. 63).
The Essay on British Chartism Parliament Industrial Britain
The outcome of the social revolutions of 1830-1833 left Europe in a general sense of discontent. Governments were doing their best to limit democratic movements by restricting voting privileges to the wealthier middle classes. Limited voting power kept the Whig party 'safe'; from radical pressure in Britain. These absurd manipulations of the electorate and parliament encouraged democrats and ...
Another reason the industrial revolution took off in Britain was because of its geographical location. Great Britain was an island separated from the rest of mainland Europe. Unlike continental Europe, it did not have to instil a system of internal tolls and tariffs so the goods can be transported more easily. It also had a dense population for its geographic size which enabled the enclosure of common land and the related agricultural revolution made a supply of this labor readily available. Another theory is that the British advancement was due to the presence of an entrepreneurial class which believed in progress, technology and hard work.The existence of this class is often linked to the Protestant work ethic. There was reinforcement of confidence in the rule of law amongst the Protestant constitutional monarchy of Great Britain. Many of these factors enabled Great Britain to experience great changes that became the industrial revolution.
During the time period preceding the Industrial Revolution, the world was mainly an agrarian society. This is one in which individuals live in rural areas and cultivated their own crops to either consume themselves or to make as wholesale to the public. In the rural areas, people often lived in poverty due to the fact that their entire lifestyle was dependent on nature. The Industrial Revolution brought about the change from a domestic and agrarian society to the mechanization system of the textile industry; which began to take off in Britain in 1833; and therefore new machines and sources of power were needed. Not only was this change easier for the people who made the products but it was also much faster. The change was one from hand labor to machine labor which helped to create the more rapid products. One of the first products of this mechanization of the textile industry was the flying shuttle, invented by John Kay in 1733. The shuttle was a machine used for spinning and weaving cloth. It made weaving a wider piece of cloth quicker and easier. This mechanism could be automated and powered; the operator needed to monitor the machine for failures and keep it supplied with pirns of weft thread.
The Essay on Steam Engines Engine Water Industrial
The steam engine was arguably the most important machine technology in the Industrial Revolution. The steam engine is a mechanical device that was used to transfer the energy of steam into mechanical energy. This was used for a wide variety of applications, including propulsion and generating electricity. The basic principle of a steam engine involves transforming the heat energy of steam into ...
This invention produced not only quickly weaved cloth but also a shortage of yarn. To counteract the shortage of yarn, James Hargreaves brought about the invention of the spinning jenny in 1768. A word ‘ginny’ or ‘jenny’ is an early abbreviation of the word ‘engine’, simply referring to a machine or device. This machine increased the amount of yarn that was being distributed and allowed the spinners to produce yarn in greater quantities. It produced eight times as much thread as a single spinning wheel. Cotton textile factories were being constructed and other productions were being created, such as cotton spinning that was invented by Sir Richard Arkwright in 1769. This invention included a water frame that increased the cotton production by waterpower. It is derived from the use of a water wheel to drive a number of spinning frames. The water wheel provided more power to the spinning frame than human operators, reducing the amount of human labor needed and increasing the spindle count dramatically. However, unlike the spinning jenny, the water frame could only spin one thread at a time. Early machines of the Industrial Revolution were driven by water.
The only problem with this is that a factory had to be located near a source of water such as a river, lake, or even a canal. Another problem is the fact that the factory and source of water might not be near transportation, raw materials, a good labor source, or even near a market. But despite these potential setbacks the inventors pressed on and the steam engine was produced. The first safe and successful steam power plant was introduced by Thomas Newcomen before 1712. His invention used a pump to clear water from the mines and opened up new and deeper seams of coal, tin, and copper. It was slow and expensive to operate. To enhance the steam engine idea, James Watt studied and improved Thomas Newcomen’s engine. James Watt’s engine was initially used for pumping out mines, but from the 1780’s was applied to power machines. This enabled rapid development of efficient semi-automated factories on a previously unimaginable scale in places where waterpower was not available. Created in 1769, it had a separate condenser, making the engine much more efficient. His perfected steam engine could pump water three times as quickly as previous engines. He added automatic control mechanisms and doubled acting engines made for much smoother power. Steam powered engines could now be applied to spinning and weaving cotton. The steam engine is considered the most important and useful invention of the Industrial Revolution. By 1787 Britain was importing more than 22 million pounds of cotton thus increasing the market for coal (Mokyr, p. 112).
The Essay on Importance of good roads in a country
Good roads are essential for the development of a country. The Romans realized this centuries ago. Wherever they established themselves, they tried to improve the roads there. Today, the governments of all countries in the world are building more and more roads to gain access to the remotest regions of their countries. Roads link towns and villages and enable the people of one place to communicate ...
Steam powered cotton mills required coal to operate and spin cotton. As the market and demand for cotton increased so did the need for coal. By the early 1700’s most iron in England was imported due to a shortage of charcoal for smelting, so in 1709 Abraham Darby invented a way of smelting iron using coke (processed coal) instead of charcoal. The pig iron, as it was called, was also used to cast iron goods such as pots and kettles. The iron industry took off after that since iron ore and coal were both very plentiful in England. England then pressed on and constructed their first Iron Bridge. Iron was not a very profitable margin in Britain until 1780 when Henry Cort developed a system called ‘puddling’. This method burned away impurities from the pig iron and produced an iron of higher quality. By that time, Britain was producing almost three million tons of iron, more than the rest if the world combined. All of this allowed the Industrial Revolution to advance at a faster rate. By this time, nearly 237,000 people were becoming employed in the textile and industrial factories in England (Mantoux, p. 311).
As well as the factory improvements, the transportation system became a very important factor for the industrial revolution. There was a need for improved land transportation to transport the newly renovated goods that were being constructed at a more efficient rate. The need of improved transportation brought forth the development of roads and canals. Modern roads were made of asphalt to bind the smaller stones together. Roadside ditches along the newly renovated roads were dug to help drain the road from water and rain. In the matter of these road improvements, the government permitted the creation of local companies or trusts. A trust began with a group of merchants, landowners, and others interested in having a good road in their neighborhood. The trustees were allowed by the government to set up toll-gates to help maintain the construction of the roads. The new road system included easier travel but heavy goods transported on these roads was by means of slow, broad wheeled, carts hauled by teams of horses. Lighter goods were conveyed by smaller carts or by teams of pack horses. Stage coaches carried the rich, and the less wealthy could pay to ride on carrier carts. Canals were being built between 1760 and 1850. They were the first technology to allow bulk materials to be easily transported across the country. Expansive networks of rivers in England and Western Europe were used for these canals. Ships in the canal were hauled by horses and sails were used when the weather was favorable. A single canal horse could pull a load dozens of times larger than a cart at a faster pace.The main motive behind canal building was to provide cheap transport to the growing urban areas (Lane, p. 175).
The Essay on Allama Iqbal People Good Shikwa
The world history is replete with persons who earned a great name and fame. Did a lot for the betterment of the muslim among. These entities Iqbal occupies a unique place. He is creator of idea of pakistan. A llama Iqbal was born on November 9, 1877 in Sialkot.He got his early education in native city. He did his masters in Philsosphy from the University of Punjab then he was awarded a PHD degree ...
The improvements in land transportation reduced the price of transporting products. The progress in railways reduced the cost even more. The railways were built in the 1820’s. The first applications of the steam locomotive were on wagon or plate ways. They were primarily made to transport heavy materials such as coal. George Stephenson was responsible for the design of the first steam railway. The locomotives traveled at fifteen miles per hour, which was the fastest rate at which they could move goods back then. This invention will soon lead into transporting people as well as goods and materials. In 1850, when the railways were in high demand, Britain had 9797km of track. Due to the low cost and fast transportation of these railways the nineteenth century progressed quickly. By 1850, Britain was considered the most industrialized country in the world. It built more roads and improved the already existing ones which helped reduced transportation cost to about 30% (Stern, p. 87); which made it cheaper to export and import goods. In 1851, Britain stood alone at the Great Exhibition as the “workshop of the world.”
The Essay on Industrial Conditions: Urban Life
How successful were progressive reforms during the period 1890-1915 with respect to TWO of the following? Industrial conditions; urban life; politics.The late 19th century and early 20th century were marked by a period of reforms known as Progressivism. During this time, leaders of Progressive reforms aimed to improve American lives by instigating changes that would influence politics and urban ...
The industrial revolution not only had a drastic affect on the industries but it also affected the overall society and brought about changes that were significant. As economic activities in many communities moved from agriculture to manufacturing, production shifted from its traditional locations in the home and the small workshop to factories. Large portions of the population relocated from the countryside to the towns and cities where manufacturing centers were found. The sudden movement from the quiet country to the loud city created many hardships and discontent among the people of the Industrial Revolution. The overall amount of goods and services produced expanded dramatically, and the proportion of capita invested per worker grew. New groups of investors, business people, and managers took financial risks and reaped great rewards. The revolution has brought economic improvement for most people in industrialized societies. Many enjoy greater prosperity and improved health, especially those in the middle and the upper classes of society. The population was constantly and quickly growing, which helped to fill the positions in the factories. The Industrial Revolution brought about many jobs for lower class people but the working conditions were poor.
Fines issued for tardiness and spoiled work were common and sent many people into a state of depression. Not only were the women and child laborers treated like animals, but all women in general at the time held little or no social status. Dust, overworking and beatings caused sickness, permanent scars, and early deaths. Accidents during this time were very frequent, and the health hazards were numerous. The conditions were so bad that for some, it resulted in deformities and serious illnesses. Workers compared themselves to being treated as slaves, working from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. at night and having only Sundays to spend with their families. Laborers worked for pennies and were treated harshly, being required to thread bobbins by dangerous sewing machinery that mass produced cotton and linen clothing. Iron and coal workers were forced to work in harsh climate conditions and carry heavy loads day after day breaking their backs. After a while, Britain had a large problem recruiting factory workers, so they enlisted women and small children to maintain these tasks. After a while of poor working conditions and abused treatment, the laborers decided to revolt and riot. They went against the British government and they took drastic measures using the militia or army to protect industry.
The Essay on Why Are People Unequal In Society
Why are People Unequal in Society? According to Philosopher's of the time of enlightenment the nature of society created inequality. These philosophers also believed that it was the job of the government to limit inequality and try to create conformity. Now we are able to see that inequality emerges with each and every interaction. This is because every individual possesses qualities which may be ...
Those rioters who were caught were tried and hanged, or transported for life. This action created a turning point for the workers and trade unions became established, along with further pressure for reform. The power of a union could demand better terms by withdrawing all labor and causing a consequent cessation of production. Employers had to decide between giving in to the union demands at a cost to themselves or suffer the cost of the lost production. Skilled workers were hard to replace, and these were the first groups to successfully advance their conditions through this kind of bargaining. The main method the unions used to effect change was strike action. Many strikes were painful events for both sides; the unions and the management. Working people also formed friendly societies and co-operative societies as mutual support groups against times of economic hardship. Enlightened industrialists also supported these organizations to improve the conditions of the working class. By about the 1820s, income levels for most workers began to improve, and people adjusted to the different circumstances and conditions. By that time, Britain had changed forever. The economy was expanding at a rate that was more than twice the pace at which it had grown before the Industrial Revolution. Although vast differences existed between the rich and the poor, most of the population enjoyed some of the fruits of economic growth. The widespread poverty and constant threat of mass starvation that had haunted the pre-industrial age lessened in industrial Britain. Although the overall health and material conditions of the population clearly improved, critics continued to point to urban crowding and overwhelmed housing.
Without the Industrial Revolution, the world’s economy would have remained stagnant, and the people would have continued to suffer through the difficult times that had been plaguing them for years. Due to the fact that the changes were from an agrarian to an industrial society, it helped change the manufacture of textile goods, brought about new forms of transportation, inventions were thought of and created, as well as a change in society itself, for better or for the worst. Though many individuals look at this revolution as a savior, other groups were harmed further by the reformation of the economy.
