Industrial Revolution

Simply stated, the Industrial Revolution was the emergence of modern industrialism in Britain, Japan, continental Europe, and the United States.  This revolution is responsible for economic and social changes that are still in evidence today.

The Industrial Revolution in the United States was a direct result of the rapid industrialization in Britain, the country that the United States had the closest relations to.  Factories began to spring up in England in the late 18th century, revolutionizing the manufacture of things like cloth and cotton thread.  Innovation followed innovation, and many industrial inventions were introduced during this time.  There was somewhat of a domino effect:  weaving inventions spurred spinning inventions, and these, in turn, created a demand for new and more modern ways of carding.

Energy sources were also changing.  While the traditional means of energy — wind, water, and animal power — were still used, steam power was also introduced.  As England's textile industry became the best and most profitable in the world, it encouraged other areas of manufacturing to innovate as well.  While the British did what they could to prevent their new manufacturing processes and technology from being discovered by other countries, emigration ensured that knowledge of new machines traveled quickly.

Of all the countries that benefited from British technology and innovation, the United States is the country that benefited the most.  That is because more immigrants went to the United States from Britain than to any other country.  Nevertheless, Belgium, France, Germany, and Japan were other nations that benefited from British industrialization.

In addition to changing the economies of many countries, industrialization also changed the world's societies.  For example, many people moved out of the country and into the cities to work in factories.  These people benefited by enjoying a better standard of living, including benefits to their nutrition and health.  But the city way of life was so different than the rural life that many of these people were used to that it caused severe psychological issues.  While rural workers were used to varying, seasonal work patterns, work patterns in the city were rigid and disciplined.

In addition, the gap between social classes began to widen.  While rural workers were used to accessible landlords and aristocrats, factory owners and managers were significantly more remote and dealt with their workers impersonally.  Workers and factory owners became very distinct classes with different needs, and as a result the time during the industrial revolution was rife with turbulence between employers and workers.

The Industrial Revolution challenged and changed decades of traditions, beliefs, social patterns, and assumptions, transforming much of the globe and heavily influencing our economic and social patterns today.

Industrial Revolution References

• The Industrial Revolution - from Fordham University's Modern History Sourcebook.
• Introduction to the Industrial Revolution - from the History World International project.

History of the Industrial Revolution