Hardships of Early Industrial Life 7.3

The Industrial Revolution created material benefits as well as social problems. Main Idea

The New Industrial City The I.R. brought rapid urbanization- the movement of people to cities. The British market town of Manchester 1750s- 17,000 people 1780- 40,000 people 1801- 70,000 people Visitors described it as a “cloud of coal vapor” Polluted, pounding noise of the steam engines, and a filthy stench of its river The New Industrial City

There was a divide between the wealthy and poor. Wealthy and middle class lived in pleasant neighborhoods. Poor lived in the slums They packed into tiny tenements- multistory buildings divided into crowded apartments No running water, only a community pump No sewage Diseases Spread

The Factory System Rigid Schedules “While the engine runs, people must work” Shifts lasted from 12 to 16 hours Workers suffered accidents from machines with no safety devices. Coal dust and lint destroyed lungs. Injured workers lost their jobs.

Women Workers Employers preferred to hire women over men. Belief was that they could adapt to the machines quicker Women could be paid less than men Women were out of the house for 12 hours but the expectation for women to upkeep the household remained present.

Child Labor Factories hired boys and girls Worked in textile mills because of their small and nimble fingers. Also, moved quicker through small chambers in the coals mines, pushing carts of coal Wages were needed Like parents, children were slaves to the machines Orphans Finally, by the 1830s, British lawmakers looked into the issue of child labor.

In rural villages, farm families established a sense of community. In industrial cities, many felt lost. In time, factory and mine workers developed their own sense of community. As the I.R. begins, skilled laborers protested new machinery that was taking their jobs away. Destroyed machinery, burned factories Protestors(Luddites) were met with violence and death by soldiers. The Working Class

Spread of Methodism New religious movement Mid 1700s- John Wesley founded the Methodist Church Encouraged Christians to adopt sober and moral ways. Tried to rekindle hope among the poor Set up Sunday schools Studied the Bible and learned to read and write Spread of Methodism

The I.R. introduced a new middle class, which came from several sources: Merchants who invested factories Some “rags to riches” Middle class families lived comfortable lives Women took up “ladylike” activities Drawing, embroidery, or playing the piano Ladies did not do housework or work outside Had the determination to “get ahead” Thought of the poor as ignorant and lazy that they could not “work their way up” The New Middle Class

Since the 1800s, people debated whether the I. R Since the 1800s, people debated whether the I.R. was a blessing or a curse. The age brought upon terrible hardships. However, reformers pressed laws to improve working conditions. Labor Unions- won the right to bargain with employers for better wages, hours, and working conditions. Eventually, working class men gained right to vote. Material Benefits: Demand for mass produced goods grew New factories opened Wages for worker rose Railroad travel became affordable Benefits and Problems

The Spread of the Industrial Revolution Industrialization spread around the world. Often, it begins with suffering. In the end, it produces more material benefits for more people. The Spread of the Industrial Revolution