Early Industrial Revolution in
Europe – 1815 to circa 1865
Mr. Darrell’s World History
Molina High School
Copyright © 2008, Ed Darrell
Industrial Revolution
Why do we consider the Industrial
Revolution important?
• Effects: Europe shifted from farm- and
handicrafts-based economy, to an
economy based on machines in factories
Industrial Revolution
Five key factors set it up
1. Lots of food
2. Lots of people
3. Ready supply of money (capital)
4. Abundant natural resources
5. Markets to sell to
Industrial Revolution
Lots of food
1. Farming practices changed; good
weather helped. There was enough food
to go around, a dramatic increase in the
food supply.
Industrial Revolution
Lots of people
2. With ample food supplies, population
expanded; this provided a ready supply
of labor, of workers, to staff the factories
Industrial Revolution
Lots of money
3. Entrepreneurs sought to expand their
fortunes, by investing. People in search
of profits made the factories, pushed the
inventions, drove the progress
•
capital, entrepreneurs
Industrial Revolution
Natural resources
4. Consider Britain: Rivers provided water
power and transportation.
Coal and iron ore meant steel, and
railroads – use of steam engine was
possible
Industrial Revolution
Ready markets to sell to
5. Britain’s colonies were a ready outlet for
goods; British merchant ships could
transport. Trade, especially in cotton
goods, pushed the development of
machines and transportation
Industrial Revolution
• Key products for industrialization
– Cotton
– Coal
– Iron
• Why were these products so
important?
Industrial Revolution
Cotton
• A cottage industry
• Key inventions made it industrial
–
–
–
–
–
Cotton ‘gin in U.S.
Flying shuttle
Spinning jenny
Water-powered loom
Steam engine
• By 1840, cotton was Britain’s most valuable
product
Cotton ‘gin
Flying shuttle
Spinning jenny
Water powered looms
Power looms
Warm-up
Refrigerator
Needed:
• Power compressor
• Electricity
• Industrial ammonia (and later cooling fluids)
Benefits:
• Food storage and preparation
• Medicine
• Science
Carriages with internal combustion
engines
Benefits:
• Speed
• Hauling power
• ‘Round the clock availability
• Inexpensive
Problems, effects
• Dependence on oil
• Pollution
• Land use
• Social issues
– Romance
– Isolation
– Family and job structure
Electronic memory devices
Benefits
• Amazing storage
• Drives other technologies
• Ease of use
BUT
• Expensive
• Socially and culturally isolating
Quick and safe home appliances
Requires:
• Utility hookup – gas or electric – or
significant infrastructure to operate
BUT
• Enormous benefits in time and
cleanliness, including air pollution
And it continues . . .
•
•
•
•
Innovation pace picks up
New products wreak new social changes
New products make new markets
New products bring new problems (Coltan
ore, for example)