Industrial Revolution Impacts British Society Pages

Impact of the Industrial Revolution The Impact of coal was the most severe environmental concern that grew out of the Industrial Revolution Coal was necessary to fuel steam engines that powered factories, trains, and ships However The smoke from the fires heavily polluted the air

Britain Burning The city of Manchester, surrounding lands, and London experienced acid rain and air pollution due to smog pollution from factories People with respiratory problems died due to smog Led to studies on the cause and effects of air pollution and marked the beginning of climate change studies

Environment and the Arts Only the rich could leave the city and visit the country to get fresh air Clean, untouched nature became popular images for artists as it was a stark contrast to the realities of daily life in the overly polluted city

Government and Business During the Industrial Revolution, government was partly controlled by landowners and business owners -Main group to vote and run in elections

Laissez-Faire Policy A French phrase meaning “leave it alone” Government economic policy promoted a business market that was free as possible from government interference

Factory Working Conditions Factory owners wanted to make profits rather than treat employees with respect -Low wages -Unsafe machines in need of repair -No compensation for accidents -Poor air quality -Deafening noise -Long shifts 12 to 16 hours -Disciplined protesting workers

Child Labour in the Industrial Revolution Children put to work and exploited -Useful because their small size and they were cheap labour Accounted for 15% of the labour force in Britain -more than 1 million age 7-10 Almost Slaves -Beaten -Low wages -Exposed to pollution and danger

Child Labour in the Industrial Revolution Children were hired from workhouses and employed in factories -Small hands could reach into machines and pick out lose objects Chimney cleaners hired small boys as they could fit inside the chimneys of large homes and businesses to clean out soot

It’s Always About Money Why were so many children working? -No other choice as poor families needed income -Family sizes were increasing and with that so did costs -No mandatory schooling -Dads often lost due to war, accidents, or epidemics -Demand from business owners

Social Structures In a class system, a person is born into a specific social group The industrial revolution made differences between social groups more apparent than ever before

Upper Class industrialization allowed individuals to rise from poverty to riches through hard work included estate owners, factory owners, and rich nobles. very fine life with servants and maids to do their housework and preparing them food and tea. They usually lived in the countryside women usually wore elegant dresses and men wore suits or other fine clothing.

Middle Class The early middle class was created when factory managers, merchants, and shippers became wealthy from the huge production from the industries. upper middle class included factory owners, doctors, lawyers, and government employees lower middle class included skilled workers, toolmakers, and teachers below the university level lived in the city because they had to work in businesses.

Lower Working Class consisted of laborers that worked in the factories, shops, and other businesses. suffered the most out of all three classes. -In the coal mines, many women and children died of black lung -In textile factories, children had a high percentage of getting injured by the machines. -Beaten by factory overseers They had to work 14 hours a day no insurance for death/injury

Lower Class Living Conditions ServantsThe Poor Worked in homes of the upper and middle classes Average upper class homes could have 50 or more servants while middle class had 1 Low wages but food and shelter included Lived in slums -crowded houses in small, unsanitary streets that had no sewers -Hardest on the sick, disabled and elderly as they could not work -Included many orphaned and/or abandoned children

Women in the Industrial Revolution Many women were cottage workers but moved to the cities to find factory work Paid less than men Women in the countryside usually worked as domestic servants or on farms Increased number of single parents due to factory accidents Able to gain some financial independence with work for the first time