Free Essays on Industrial Revolution

Was the industrialization a good thing for the U.S? Although the Industrial Revolution was a dangerous and uncertain time for most Americans (with the exception of the big business owners), I think we would not be where we are today without it. If it had happened 30-40 years later, it is not too hard to imagine that the US would not exist as we do today. As an example, look at Russia. The Soviet Union had no technology development, outside of their military, until after World War 2. There is a reason that once their military fell that the rest of their society followed suit. Their reliance on agriculture throughout the first two world wars and into the sixties left them at least 50 years behind the rest of the world. The Technology of the Nineteenth Century was primitive compared to today’s standards, but was far more advanced compared to the technology of many countries at that time. The developments that occurred in industry at this time would have knock-on effects in almost every area of society. It worked as a cycle or huge circle of events, with its impact on society also helping to further stimulate industrial growth. The growth of towns created a demand for food that stimulated the agricultural revolution. The agricultural revolution created a surplus of labor that would feed the growing factories, while the money the landowners made could be invested further in industry. The dramatic population growth of the time created a demand for goods that stimulated industrial growth while also providing a labor force to fuel this growth. Production became faster, quality was largely better, and costs were lower, and this helped increase trade and encourage greater capital investment. Profit and wealth were increased among the factory owners. It also saw the rise of the new so-called middle classes; nevertheless, the rich got richer, but the poor got poo! rer. The new machinery did away with many skilled jobs. There ... Free Essays on Industrial Revolution Free Essays on Industrial Revolution 1. Essay on the Industrial Revolution The Industrial revolution was a time of drastic change and transformation from hand tools, and hand made items to machine manufactured and mass produced goods. This change generally helped life, but also hindered it as well. Pollution, such as co2 levels in the atmosphere rose, working conditions declined, and the number of women and children working increased. The government, the arts, literature, music and architecture and man's way of looking at life all changed during the period. Two revolutions took place, both resulting in productive but also dire consequences. Before the first industrial revolution, England's economy was based on its cottage industry. Workers would buy raw materials from merchants, take it back to their cottages, hence the name, and produce the goods at their home. It was usually was owned and managed by one or more people, who were generally close to the workers. There was a good worker/boss relationship, which was demolished and destroyed by capitalism. This industry was efficient but the workers, productivity was low, making costs higher. The longer it took one person to manufacture a product, the higher the price. Subsequently, goods were high in price and exclusive only to the wealthy people. The year was 1733, the demand for cotton cloth was high, but production was low. This crisis had to be solved or England's economy would be hindered. The answer came from a British weaver, John Kay, who invented and fashioned the flying shuttle, which cut weaving time in half. John Kay was a pioneer and his invention paved the way for numerous inventors. Although at first, many workers didn't accept machines, in fact, many inventions were destroyed, but what was inevitable, couldn't be stopped. The machines had made their way to England, and nothing could ... Free Essays on Industrial Revolution Before the first industrial revolution, England's economy was based on its cottage industry. Workers would buy raw materials from merchants, take it back to their cottages and produce the goods at their home. It was owned and managed by one or more people who were generally close to the workers. There was a good worker/boss relationship that was destroyed by capitalism. This industry was efficient but the longer it took one person to manufacture a product the higher the price. Goods were high in price and limited only to the wealthy people. In the year 1733 the demand for cotton cloth was high but production was low. This crisis had to be solved or England's economy would collapse. The answer came from a British weaver, John Kay, who invented the flying shuttle this invention cut weaving time in half. John Kay’s invention paved the way for numerous inventors. At first many workers didn't accept machines and many inventions were destroyed By the 1750's the industrial Revolution had begun. People’s lives was drastically changed during the industrial revolution. People were living in germ infested, crowded and very unhealthful conditions, much like their work place. Children and women worked in harsh conditions. People were working long hours for little pay. Eventually the British Parliament stepped in and limited and controlled child labor. This sparked a rebellion. The wealthy capitalists wanted the government to stay out of its issues called the laissez-faire system. But many people opposed the laissez-faire system saying the capitalists would gain too much power and people would be mistreated. The laissez-faire system was disregarded after a few years. Inventions during this time were strictly limited to cotton weaving. Inventions like the spinning jenny and the water-powered frame provided ways of spinning yarn faster. The spinning mule, the power loom and the cotton gin, all helped the manufacture of cotton goods by spe... Free Essays on Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution may be defined as the application of power-driven machinery to manufacturing. It had its beginning in remote times, and is still continuing in some places. In the eighteenth century all of western Europe began to industrialize rapidly, but in England the process was most highly accelerated. England's head start may be attributed to the emergence of a number of simultaneous factors. Britain had burned up her magnificent oak forests in its fireplaces, but large deposits of coal were still available for industrial fuel. There was an abundant labor supply to mine coal and iron, and to man the factories. From the old commercial empire there remained a fleet, and England still possessed colonies to furnish raw materials and act as captive markets for manufactured goods. Tobacco merchants of Glasgow and tea merchants of London and Bristol had capital to invest and the technical know-how derived from the Scientific Revolution of the seventeenth century. Last, but not least important, the insularity of England saved industrial development from being interrupted by war. Soon all western Europe was more or less industrialized, and the coming of electricity and cheap steel after 1850 further speeded the process. I. The Agricultural Revolution The English countryside was transformed between 1760 and 1830 as the open-field system of cultivation gave way to compact farms and enclosed fields. The rotation of nitrogen-fixing and cereal crops obviated the necessity of leaving a third or half the land fallow each planting. Another feature of the new farming was the cultivation of turnips and potatoes. Jethro Tull (1674-1741) and Lord Townshend popularized the importance of root crops. Tull's most original contributions were the seed drill and horse hoe. The seed drill allowed a much greater proportion of the seed to germinate by planting it below the surface of the ground out of reach of the birds and wind. ''Turnip'' T... Free Essays on Industrial Revolution In the early half of the 20th century, Europe went through a series of technical and scientific advancements that impacted the many countries of Europe. A "second revolution" quickened the pace of industrialization, forcing much more rapid change in European society between 1870 and World War I. Mechanized industry, powered by new forms of energy, spread to all European states, though not to every region within them; it vastly increased the quantity of goods available to learge segments of the population, and not just the wealty. Due to the material benefits of a mass-producing country, many Europeans saw progress as inevitable, and those who were left out of the consuming society struggled for their share of weatlth. The mechanization of basic goods industries had proceeded slowly and unevenly in the first half of the nineteenth century. To deal with the major changes brought about by industrialization, governments expanded the rolde of the state, strengthening the central power over the diverse interests, regions, classes and even nationalities. At times the new balance of classes and regions meant the repression of dissent, regionalism and tradition-the American Civil War is just one example of this. In the first half of the century, governments developed the machinery to control great number oc citizens through military conscription, public education and in some places, social legislation. Governments would encourage nationalism as a way of absorbing masses of previous excluded people. Industrialization influeneced the outcome of each of these struggles. By 1914, production, trade, foreign markets and political empires altered teh balance of power. The development of a relatively inexpensive transportation and communication system helped build a new economic world of growth and prosperity such as had not seen before. Revolution accurately decribes the radically new forms of business and labor organiztion, the massive ... Free Essays on Industrial Revolution â€Å"†¦those who laboured were the vast bulk of the population, the diligence with which they performed their tasks and the share which they retained of the product of their work were them main determinants of the wealth and incomes of the fortunate few† This quote from John Hatcher’s article on pre-nineteenth century Britain summarises the capitalistic and industrialised nature of the what was deemed to be the working class. This essay will examine industrialisation, modernisation and capitalist development in Britain around the time of the industrial revolution. I will also briefly talk about different aspects of the revolution and apply them to specific key areas like the factory; the railway industry and the purpose built townships/cities. Industrialisation by Wrigley is said to â€Å"occur in a given country when real incomes per head begin to rise steadily and without apparent limit.† Productivity also increases and the significance of industry as the backbone of the economy becomes apparent. Rostow claims that when an economy is being industrialised it â€Å"takes off† into â€Å"self-sustained growth† . This definition is in line with Wrigley’s, however there are several key aspects to industrialisation which are apparent everywhere, some may not be as significant as others, but all play a role in the process of industrialisation. Technological change; new inventions, new ways of doing things Work increasingly done by machine - this way it is quicker, cheaper, more reliable than using human hands. Supplementing/replacing of manpower with energy sources - coal, oil, steam, coke have all been used. These energy sources are far more efficient than manpower. Freeing labourer from feudal ties - as more industry is put in place, more people are required to work in the factories. Peasants can go and work in a factory and be supplied with a house. Creation of a free market for labour - now that more people are looking for... Free Essays on Industrial Revolution Was the industrialization a good thing for the U.S? Although the Industrial Revolution was a dangerous and uncertain time for most Americans (with the exception of the big business owners), I think we would not be where we are today without it. If it had happened 30-40 years later, it is not too hard to imagine that the US would not exist as we do today. As an example, look at Russia. The Soviet Union had no technology development, outside of their military, until after World War 2. There is a reason that once their military fell that the rest of their society followed suit. Their reliance on agriculture throughout the first two world wars and into the sixties left them at least 50 years behind the rest of the world. The Technology of the Nineteenth Century was primitive compared to today’s standards, but was far more advanced compared to the technology of many countries at that time. The developments that occurred in industry at this time would have knock-on effects in almost every area of society. It worked as a cycle or huge circle of events, with its impact on society also helping to further stimulate industrial growth. The growth of towns created a demand for food that stimulated the agricultural revolution. The agricultural revolution created a surplus of labor that would feed the growing factories, while the money the landowners made could be invested further in industry. The dramatic population growth of the time created a demand for goods that stimulated industrial growth while also providing a labor force to fuel this growth. Production became faster, quality was largely better, and costs were lower, and this helped increase trade and encourage greater capital investment. Profit and wealth were increased among the factory owners. It also saw the rise of the new so-called middle classes; nevertheless, the rich got richer, but the poor got poo! rer. The new machinery did away with many skilled jobs. There ... Free Essays on Industrial Revolution Do revolutions have to have bloody conflicts in them to be called that? The Industrial Revolution is a direct contradiction to that statement; it is the only revolution in history not to have one single drop of blood shed at any time. The Industrial Revolution was a period from 1700-1850 in which new technology was being discovered at an alarming rate. The average British person born in 1760 saw more changes in his or her lifetime than ten generations of ancestors had seen in theirs. There were many factors that aided the Industrial Revolution. One for instance was the change in farming many wealthy landowners started to buy out small landowners this process was called enclosure. In the 1700’s many wealthy landowners began to look for new ways to increase the size of their harvests. The first man to experiment in this way was Jethro Tull he improved the process of sowing the seed by a seed drill; it allowed farmers to sow seed in well-spaced rows at specific depths. The second invention to follow was the invention of crop rotation; many farmers wanted to find a way to keep their fields fertile so they would waste a year of planting. So instead of letting the field be barren was to grow a different crop each year so it would stay fertile and you could still grow crops. The next improvement in farming was when Robert Bakewell began trying to raise his quality of livestock; by allowing only the best animals to breed he increased the weight of his sheep and al so greatly improved the taste of the mutton. This improvements in farming had great effects on the population, since there was a more food more children were born and that fuel more workers for the factories. The next fuel for the Industrial Revolution was that Great Britain had many advantages. First was the abundant natural resource which Britain had all three that were needed coal, waterpower, and iron. Second was a favorable geography since Britain was a island nation had man... Free Essays on Industrial Revolution The American Industrial Revolution included many different inventions as well as new techniques for manufacturing and business. Before and at the beginning of the revolution the Household system was consistently used. However, as the revolution progressed workers and their machinery moved from individual homes into one large building. This movement is what began the idea of the factory system. In 1790, Samuel Slater started the first efficient factory in America. In this factory, he began to spin cotton thread by machine. That same year John Fitch built and operated the world’s first regularly scheduled steamboat. Three years later Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, which would have extraordinary effects on the south and their social and economical lives. In 1800, Eli Whitney came up with the idea of interchangeable parts. This would make the assembly-line system a lot more efficient. Banks were of extreme importance in the American Industrial Revolution. They provided small businesses with credit so that they could get started. When the factories began about nine children would staff the machines, because the work was quite easy. Francis Cabot Lowell developed a new technique called the Waltham system. Here young unmarried women were the factory workers. These ladies would stay in boardinghouses and live under strict discipline. Lowell had smuggled plans for a power loom into America from Great Britain. This also helped in the efficiency of his factories. In the early 1800’s, several technological advances were being made. Slowly each industry became increasingly advanced. The woolen industry became just as mechanized as the cotton industry had become. Next in 1810, the iron industry advanced out of blacksmith’s forges into machine based factories. These machines could make nails at a third of the cost of the earlier techniques. A couple of year’s later rolling mills were invented to produce sheet iron.... Free Essays on Industrial Revolution â€Å"Britain was fascinated by wealth and commerce, collectively and individually.†- Anonymous historian The Industrial Revolution crashed into Britain during the 18th century and engaged the nation emotionally, physically and economically. Britain endured many changes due to the industrial revolution in the 18th century. It had many technological advances, became more profitable in exporting goods world wide and was profitable in capital investment. Who would have thought a country at war for more than half of the century was able to become so lucrative. Exports nearly quadrupled in Great Britain between 1660-1760. Britain was able to market and produce linens and woolen textiles and then ship them throughout Europe. This was done by many technological advances in textile machinery. India, which used to import cotton into Britain and other European countries, was soon overthrown from their profiting position. In 1770, Britain was mass producing cotton products throughout Europe. Britain was able to mass produce cheap articles of clothing and export it to countries such as the Americas, Africa and the Far East. People there were more Gutkes 2 concerned with cheap and inexpensive clothing rather than costly high fashioned clothes. Britain appealed to the middle and lower class with cheap cotton goods as well as the upper class. The upper class sought fine cottons and yardages of fabric which Britain was ample and able to produce and ship worldwide. The British textile industry began to take off in 1833. By this time nearly 237,000 people were employed in cotton textile factories in England. Many technological advances soon began to develop contributing to the Industrial Revolution. James Hargreave invented the spinning Jenny in 1768. It allowed spinners to produce yarn in greater quantities. The first big industry was cotton textile factories, though other kinds of factories developed as well machines had been use... Free Essays on Industrial Revolution â€Å"Industrial Revolution†, in my opinion, is not a correct term. It makes it sound as though the whole thing happened at once, which it did not. It was rather an industrial evolution, or better yet an industrial chain reaction. One event impacted others and these changes impacted yet others. There were many important inventions during this time period. These inventions all made life a little easier for the people living during this time. There was an increasing demand for new material for clothing. The invention of the spinning jenny and powered loom made this possible. Steam engines provided power for machines. The cotton gin was another important invention. The Cotton gin made it possible to make clothes out of cotton, instead of the scratchy wool that clothes had always been made out of. Railroads were a very important invention during this century. Before the railroad was invented, people who lived away from their families never saw them. There simply was no e asy way for them to visit. By 1869, railroads could go coast to coast in six and a half days. This is one way that the Industrial Revolution impacted social aspects of people’s lives. The Industrial Revolution did not only provide positive changes. There were also many negative changes. However, when you’re dealing with something that is going to change people’s lives to this degree, some downfalls can be expected. The industrial revolution contributed to immigrants coming to our country. Many immigrants came from Southern and Eastern Europe. This affected the lives of people because there were foreigners living in their country. Some would construe this as a bad thing. Some would consider this a good thing. The facts remain the same. Having foreigners in the country did put a bit of a strain on the economic resources. However, they were contributing to economic growth. They came over in search of freedom, which they received. In return, they got jobs.. . Free Essays on Industrial Revolution The Effects of the Industrial Revolution Beginning first in Great Britain, industrialization spread to the continental countries of Europe and the United States. In 1815, Belgium, France, and the German states were still largely agrarian. The Industrial Revolution began in Britain in the mid eighteen hundreds. England was fortunate to have the right mix of an abundance of people, plenty of wealth, sufficient natural resources, new inventions, and a tolerant government, which allowed people to try new things. While these were not aspects that were exclusive to England, England was the first place where they all came together to spark industrialization. However, one main cause for the Industrial Revolution that is not listed above was the power crisis that struck England in the eighteenth century. The use of only human and animal muscle for power led to poverty because of the limited output each person produced. Second, England, which had once been covered in forests, was quickly becoming barren with use of wood for fuel. Th is crisis caused the people of England to look for new forms of power and ways to use them. The use of new forms of power was greatly important to the Industrial Revolution; therefore, the power crisis in England jumpstarted the revolution. Another aspect of the English society that allowed the Industrial Revolution to start in England was the structure of its class system. In England in the mid seventeen hundreds, there was not one dominant and powerful feudal class, which restricted and constrained vast changes in society or great population movements. Instead, there was an abundance of free workers who did not own land. This class structure coupled with a stable government that did not hinder the economy made for a perfect setting for industrialization. As a result of industrialization, cities and towns grew dramatically in Britain. In 1700, Europe's population was between 100-120 million people, and later by ... Free Essays on Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution was a period in history when mankind found innovative and efficient ways of producing goods, manufacturing services and creating new methods of transportation. This not only revolutionized the way the market system functioned, but also changed the way people perceived their status in society and what they required as basic necessities. However, the price that humanity was forced to pay for the emergence of the Industrial Revolution greatly outweighed the rewards that it brought alongside its origin. Prior to the Industrial Age, the Western European market operated on a simple "putting-out" system. The average producer was able to manufacture a product in the same area that he or she lived on and the demand for that product was usually set by a few local consumers. The process was easy and simple, provided that the product being created was always required by someone else. However, the invention of Machinery and all of its accompanying peripherals allowed producers to start manufacturing on a mass scale. With factories placed in central locations of the townships (known as centralization), the previous system was dismantled and categorized into steps. No longer would one person be required to build, market or transport their product since the new system introduced the art of specialization. Specialization allowed a person to perform a single task and guarantee them wages as a source of income. However, as wonderful as this might seem, this new system led to the emergence of a n working class (proletariat) and forced them to depend on market conditions in order to survive as producers. Although seemingly content at first, those who became employed by these factories were immediately subjected to deplorable conditions. Arnold Toynbee made a scholarly assessment of this new wave of socio-economic behavior and concluded that the working class is suff... Free Essays on Industrial Revolution Effects of the Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution is the name given to the movement in which machines changed people's way of life as well as their methods of manufacture. About the same time that Europe was under going a revolution, America underwent an Industrial revolution where they went from being mostly agricultural society to an industrial society; eventually making us the greatest industrial nation in the world today. Between 1860 and 1900, the amount of coal produced in America increased by 2000% and the production of steel increased by 5000%! The population in urban areas went up 5 fold. Miles of railroad tracks increased six times. How did such a tremendous change occur in such a short time and why? From 1861 to 1885, the Republican Party was the governing body in the politics in the United States. From the presidency, into Congress, their platform was pro-industry. They wanted Liberal immigration, a railroad from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans, and an adjustment on tariffs. Production also went up because of more workers. New workers came from two main sources; the first source is from many Americans who owned farms and made money from the crops they grew were working in factories. The second group and the largest number of workers were immigrants. In the 1890’s, 8.8 million immigrants came into the U.S. all in search of jobs. They needed the money so badly that they were willing to work for such little pay, so, the managers could hire many workers and produce much more at a cheaper price. With so many goods produced they couldn’t sell them all in their particular area. They needed some way to transport their goods around the country. The answer to this problem was to increase production and the workers in America. Steel changed the world and led the way for railroads, factories, and automobiles. One man emerged as the leading steel tycoon, Andrew Carnegie. Using a combination of salesmanship and ...