Chapter 7 – Industrialisation
( also known as the industrial revolution)
French Revolution = France
Industrial Revolution = Britain
Changed the world in many ways.
Was not a violent revolution, but also changed the way people worked and lived radically.
In Britain:
In South Africa:

Changes in agriculture, trade, and a series of new inventions, the industrialization
led to the following:
 Caused development.
 There were negative aspects and harmed peoples' lives
o Factory workers are exploited + their were very real problems in the
towns that became greater and greater.
Industrialisation began when diamonds and gold were discovered.
In Britain + South Africa, workers established unions for them to strive for better working
conditions.
Unit 7.1 –
What was the Industrial Revolution and how it
affected people's lives?
Industrial Revolution – It has a series of events which involves dramatic changes that, and also
changed the ways people lived and worked forever.
Life without motor transport, computers, shopping, plastic....without cellphones ????!!!!!!
The changes during this
revolution, made all of
this possible!
The Industrial Revolution was the beginning of the modern world as it is today, for example
mass production.
Page 1 of 4
Unit 7.1 –
What was the Industrial Revolution and how it
affected people's lives? (continues)
Agriculture
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Trade
Population of Britain increased in 18th
century.
Increased demand on food.
Had to produce more food:
Commercial farms + scientific agricultural
methods introduced.

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British retailers have made their money
from the slave trade and
brought raw materials from the colonies to
Britain .
With this money they erected factories and
machinery in Britain.
Profits are obtained which they used to
have factories, roads and buildings
constructed.
(So continued growth happened)
The new world of work:

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Before the Industrial Revolution, goods (such as fabrics, etc.) were home made by hand by
families, adults and children - these tasks were shared. They were proud of their articles =-)
New, larger machines, which could not fit in homes, changed the above aspects!
Machines which needed steampower - were build and thus factories originated.
For the first time people had to leave their homes to go to work:


Families were divided.
Employers often used women and children laborers because they could be paid less than men.
Source A – C
Pg. 102 - 103
Child Workers had to work 13
hours per day, with only 40
minutes for lunch. Saturdays only
9 hours.
Page 2 of 4
Unit 7.1 –
What was the Industrial Revolution and how it
affected people's lives? (continues)
Source E – G
Exploitation:
 Machines were expensive to construct and maintain.
Pg. 104 - 105
 Not easy to replace skilled laborers.
 Factorie owners kept costs low by:
o paying low wages to manual workers.
 Workers had no rights / protection, so employers could treat them like they
wanted.
Were women and children in exploited in the coal mines?
Coal was needed for the provision of
energy (heat) to provide power to
the steam engines.
1800 – 1840
(11 million ton – 34 million ton)
Unions:

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Workers had come together to form unions to get better wages and safer working conditions for
themselves, employees, etc.
In this early stage, however, unions have not been very successful because the government
strictly controlled their activities.
Expansion of urban areas and more social problems:

In growing industrial towns and cities there werehorrible living SourceH
conditions, workers lived in total poverty
(examples on page 105)
pg. 105
o many died before reaching the age of 30.
o unemployment, homelessness and poverty were common.
During these years, the rich merchants and factory owners lived comfortably in
beautiful impressive homes, etc.
Page 3 of 4
Unit 7.1 –
What was the Industrial Revolution and how it
affected people's lives? (continues)
Political rights:
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People were dissatisfied with the political system of Britain.
Working people had no political power.
Only the rich people are allowed to vote, and in addition they were likely to support laws that
promoted their own interests.
Poor working people realized that they would have to accept responsibility for changes!
o The working people had major public meetings and demonstrations.
o Many of these actions were suppressed by the government because they feared the
power of the people.
The Great Chartist
Meeting on Kennington
Common, 1848:
The petitions (3 million +) were
taken to the government to
request that all men over 21,
whether rich or poor, should
have the right to vote.
They wanted a fair voting
system and better living and
working conditions.
Due to pressure from the unions and the political parties, the government
changed some laws:
 1884
 Teen 1914
-
All men over the age of 21 were allowed to vote.
Workers are entitled to:
unemployment benefits
national health insurance
old age pensions
limits on working hours
minimum wages
compensation for disability and death.
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