Dawn of the Industrial Age

Setting the Stage In 1750, most people worked the land, using hand made tools. They lived in simple cottages lit by firelight and candles. They made their own clothing and grew their own food. In a nearby town, they might meet weekly to exchange food. The Industrial Revolution changes this…

The Industrial Revolution The rapid development of industry that occurred in Britain in the late 18th and 19th centuries, brought about by the introduction of machinery. It was characterized by the use of steam power, the growth of factories, and the mass production of manufactured goods.

Farming Methods Improve In Great Britain, Jertho Tull invented a new mechanical device, the seed drill to aid farmers. Lord Townsend urged farmers to grow turnips, which restored exhausted soil.

Enclosure Increases Output but causes migration Meanwhile rich landowners pushed ahead with enclosure, the process of taking over and consolidating land formally shared by peasant farmers. Positive: As the enclosure system spread, farm output rose and profit increased. Negative: Many farm hand were thrown out of work and were forced to go to growing cities in search of work

Population Multiples During the Industrial Revolution, life changed because people migrated from rural areas to cities. Not only did the Revolution change where people lived but it also increased the size of the population. This population growth was not caused by families having more children It was caused by improved methods of farming, food storage and distribution, improvements in medicine such vaccines, Changing sanitation practices such as bathing and changing clothing clothes more frequently

New Technology Becomes Key Another key factor that helped trigger the Industrial Revolution was the development of new technology. Aided by new sources of energy and new technologies enabled business owners to change the ways work was done. In 1764 James Watt invented the steam engine, not only changed the way in which machinery operated but also power trains and steam ships

The Quality of Iron Improves Coal was also a vital source of fuel in the production of iron, a material needed for the construction of machines and steam engines. In 1709, Abraham Darby created a new process called smelting: where coal is used to separated iron from its ore. This process allowed iron to be less expensive and better quality.