The Industrial Revolution 1700 1900 The Spread of



































- Slides: 35

The Industrial Revolution 1700 -1900

The Spread of the Industrial Revolution -The rest of Europe was slow to industrialize because the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars halted trade, interrupted communication, and caused inflation -Belgium led the way in adopting Britain’s new methods of manufacturing goods *rich deposits of iron and coal *waterways for transportation -William Cockerill smuggled secret plans for building spinning machinery to Belgium in 1799

Germany Industrializes -Lacked countrywide industrialization -rather pockets of industrialization sprung up ex: coal-rich Ruhr Valley of west-central Germany -beginning around 1835 Germany began to copy the British model -imported English equipment and engineers -built railroads that linked growing manufacturing cities to one another ex: Frankfurt with the Ruhr Valley -by the late 1800 s Germany had become an industrial and militaristic giant -foreshadows future world wars

Expansion throughout Europe -proceeded by region rather than by country -Examples: -Bohemia developed its spinning industry -Spain’s Catalonia processed cotton -Northern Italy specialized in silk -France industrialized after 1850 when the central government constructed railroads -Some nations did not industrialize -Ex: Austria-Hungary

City Growth







Inventions: The Spinning Jenny

The Cotton Gin: by Eli Whitney


John Kay’s Flying Shuttle

Watt’s Steam Engine



Impact of the Steam Engine • The steam engine was the most important industrial invention • Aside from the ability to create tools and other useful items, the steam engine powered the railroads – The Rocket: 16 mi/hr – Created large national markets for shipping goods. – Reduced the cost of shipping • 20% of industrial made products in the world came from England.

Population Boom • England experienced a population boom in cities (urbanization) due to the availability of jobs. • Historians today view the pop. boom as positive because it promoted industrial growth. • Critics: – Thomas Malthus: believed pop. Increase outgrew food. Society would need famine/war/disease to check the growth. – David Ricardo: believed too many workers would drive down wages. Called “iron law of wages”

Government Support • Many governments throughout Europe financially supported industrialization. – Offered tariff (tax) protection – Funded railroad production – Governments wanted their countries to be modern so that they could keep up with the rest of Europe. – European nations like Germany, followed Economic Nationalism • A policy dedicated to protecting industry in the nation. Taxed foreign made goods so that people would only buy nationally made good.

Factory Life and Child Labor

Factory System • Factories were unsanitary and equipment was unsafe • People worked long hours (14+ hours a day/6 days week) • Workers received very poor wages (especially women & children) • Severe discipline by factory owners • Coal miners lifespan was generally 10 years shorter on average

Child Labor • Children as young as 6 were forced to work 12 -14 hours a day • Received very short breaks if any • Were beaten if they stopped working or got too tired. • Operated large heavy machinery-often injured or killed children

“Kids at Work”






The Industrial Revolution 1700 -1900

Coal Miners


