The Agriculture and Industrial Revolutions - notes

Key Points

In the early 1700’s , the majority of people in Britain lived in small villages in the countryside. However, by the year 1800, great changes take place. Agriculture changed dramatically resulting in the production of more food and better quality food. More and more people left the countryside and moved to the growing industrial cities where thousands of new jobs were being created.

Britain became the most advanced industrial nation in the world. A vast network of canals, railroads, bridges and roads was also constructed. A small number of people became extremely wealthy but for the vast majority of people, life was often difficult living in the rapidly growing cities such as Manchester.

Learning objectives:

In this Unit the key areas to study are as follows-

• What happened during the Agricultural revolution?
• Why did the Industrial revolution begin in Britain?
• The lives of factory workers in the new industrial cities.
• The main developments in transportation.

A person working in a factory

You are John Smith

• You live in the city of Manchester
• Moved there from the countryside for a job
• You work in a large textile factory
• Factory uses steam-power engine
• All your family work there

Your typical day

• Start work at 6AM sharp
• Fine imposed if you are late
• Work 12-14 hours per day
• Only allowed two breaks
• Work 5 days and half day Saturday

Your job in the factory

• You are called a mechanic
• You look after the machines
• Must keep them always running
• Had two young boys to help you

Your fellow-workers

• Most are women and children
• They get paid less than men
• Work very long hours also
• Overseer in charge
• Children often punished if not working

Your working conditions

• Factory is really noisy
• Also very hot and poor ventilation
• Many of workers develop health problems
• TB, typhoid and smallpox are very common
• Also many bad accidents
• Fingers and arms often caught in machines
• No compensation for these unfortunate workers

Your home

• You live in a small house close to factory
• Whole row of terraced houses owned by factory owner
• You pay rent for the small, red-brick house
• Two rooms downstairs and two rooms upstairs
• No garden - tiny backyard instead
• Whole area is very overcrowded and noisy

The problems you have to deal with

• Very poor water quality
• No proper sanitation
• No proper sewers - open drains instead
• Lots of fog and factory smoke in winter
• People are always sick and constantly coughing
• Many little babies die in their first year
• You share outside toilets with nine other houses
• You also share a water tap with nine other families

Your pastimes/entertainment

• Sometimes you drink gin and ale
• You also go to bare-knuckle fights
• You like to gamble on cock-fights
• You are on your factory football team
• You play against other factory teams
• You take your family on two day-trips to the seaside every summer

Review Questions

1. What were the main reasons for the rapid growth of the population of Britain after 1750?
2. What were some of the main problems with farming in 1750?
3. What was meant by "enclosure"?
4. What advantages did it bring for farming?
5. What were some of the other key changes in farming?
6. State 2 differences between domestic and factory industry
7. State 5 main reasons why Britain became the "workshop of the world"?
8. What was the source of power used by the first factories?
9. Why was James Watt so important?
10. Describe the working conditions in the very first factories and mines?
11. Why were the factory acts passed in the early 1800's ?
12. Who were the chartists and what did they demand?
13. Explain why Robert Owen was so important?
14. What were turnpike trusts?
15. Why were Thomas Telford and John MacAdam so important?
16. How did Richard Trevithick and George Stephenson contribute to the transport revolution?
17. What were some of the main changes brought about as a result of the development of the train?