Unit 3 Study Guide: Industrial Revolution
During the second half of the eighteenth century, there was an enormous increase in the number of machine-made
finished goods being produced in factories across England. Such ideas of Industrialization spread to mainland Europe,
the United States, and eventually the world. Because factories offered jobs, people migrated to cities in a process called
urbanization.
Urbanization was enhanced by railroads that linked rural and urban (city) areas. Steam-powered vehicles, such as
Robert Fulton’s steamboat, were available because of James Watt’s fuel-efficient steam engine. Urbanization had its
share of problems, as pollution, child labor, and unsanitary living conditions were common in cities.
Agricultural Revolution:
Farming techniques improved shortly before the Industrial Revolution. In order to have successful industrial Output, an
abundance of food would be needed for workers and the people of Europe. Some of the new techniques used were:
1. Crop rotation- similar to the three field system of the Middle Ages, this technique was used by farmers to
ensure good harvests. It was learned that some crops would grow better in the soil if they were planted in the
same spots where specific crops bloomed the year before,
2. Enclosures: A fancy word for fences, enclosures were used to create larger farms
3. Seed Drill: invented by Jethro Tull, this invention planted seeds evenly in rows, instead of randomly scattering
them.
Where did the Industrial Revolution begin c1750?
Answer: England
England, though an island, has abundant natural resources such as coal and hydroelectric (water) power. Resources
used to produce finished goods are called factors of production. These factors include capital, laborers, land/natural
resources, and entrepreneurship. In addition, because it’s an island on the English Channel, there are ample harbors
suitable for trade, England also has rivers for domestic travel.
What were some of the early inventions of the textile industry in England?
England’s textile factories dominated industry. You should know these eighteenth century inventions:
Inventor
John Kay
James Hargreaves
Samuel Crompton’s
Eli Whitney
Invention
What did it do?
Flying Shuttle
Spinning Jenny
Spinning Mule
Cotton Gin
Doubled the speed at which yarn could be spun
Spin yarn on eight spindles at a time
Spun with the help of hydroelectric (water) power
Created in the United States. Helped to provide the
raw material of cotton for English textile production.
Interchangeable Parts
This meant that if a part of a firearm broke, you could
just replace that part… instead of the entire weapon
Adam Smith and Capitalism
In 1776 Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations where he argued that the government should take its hands off the
economy and permit a free market. This non-interference concept is called laissez-faire.
In the economic system of capitalism, business ventures are controlled by private owners who have an incentive to
gain from their investments. There is free-enterprise, or private ownership of businesses. One who takes the financial
risk of operating a business is called an entrepreneur. Corporations were also formed. They could issue stock to outside
investors looking to own a share of the company.
Karl Marx and Socialism:
During the Industrial Revolution, people were suffering from hard work and increasing gap between the rich and the
poor. Germans Karl Marx and Frederich Engels wrote The Communist Manifesto in 1848 to criticize these situations.
They encouraged the lower class, the proletariat, to rise up and eliminate all distinctions of classes, Marx favored a
classless society. In a classless society, there would be socialism, where the means of production can be shared by the
people. This is the opposite of capitalism, which has individuals striving for the incentive of profit. In an equal socialist
state, such incentive would not exist. In an economic, political, and social sense, extreme socialism would be defined by
Marx as communism.
Luddites were those who protested the massive changes brought forth by the Industrial Revolution. Luddites were
upset that machines were replacing skilled workers.
Unions:
As Industrial Revolution spread, so did unionization. Still prevalent today, unions are organizations that look to provide
protection against the exploitation of the working class. They aim for higher wages and better working conditions.
When demands aren’t met, unions can go on strike, or stop working.
Jeremy Bentham / John Stuart Mill
These men believed in “the greatest happiness principle” where the government should provide the greatest good for
the greatest number. This notion of the morality of actions being judged by their consequences is called utilitarianism.
In other words, a government’s actions would be deemed good if they provided for the happiness of many.
What were some domestic reforms in Great Britain during the reign of Queen Victoria?
Queen Victoria as known for spreading democracy to the people. During her reign there was a working class Chartist
Movement which demanded more rights, such suffrage (voting privileges) for men.
During her reign, Parliament’s House of Commons (which was elected unlike the House of Lords) gained much power.
The Queen became mostly a figurehead, or ceremonial leader.
In which of its colonies did Great Britain allow self-rule?
Self-rule meant that Britain would allow certain colonies to govern themselves, despite still being controlled by the
British Empire. You should know:
1. Canada became a dominion in 1967, meaning it could self-govern
2. Australia was founded as a penal colony for convicted criminals. After persecuting the local Aborigines, the British
settled Australia, as well as neighboring New Zealand. In the early 1900’s, both became dominions like Canada.
3. Ireland received home rule later. The potato famine of the middle 1840’s caused a rift between Ireland and Great
Britain, as the British did little to help the starving people of Ireland. Over one million people died during the famine.
Ireland protested for home rule for decades. In 1921, Southern Ireland received it after a War for Independence. The
country formally became the Republic of Ireland in 1949.
It is important to note that Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom. Ireland (Catholic) and Northern
Ireland (Protestant) experienced much violence and conflict in the decades following independence. Religious strife still
exists today.
Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution:
First published in 1859, Darwin wrote the Origin of Species. He preached “survival of the fittest,” and that species who
don’t adapt, due, He stated that all species, including human beings, gradually evolve after many years. Darwin made
many of his observations at the Galapagos Islands off the west coast of South America. His Theory of Evolution was
very controversial because it went against the creation teachings of the Bible.
Theories of Darwin were used to justify European imperialist policies of the nineteenth century. Darwin’s ideas still
cause some controversy today.
Dreyfus Affair:
France operated under what was called the Third Republic during the late 1800’s. It was an unstable representative
democracy. Captain Alfred Dreyfus was a Jewish military officer who was accused of selling secrets to the Germans. He
was convicted in 1894 on bad evidence and sentenced to life in prison. It was later proven that officers set him up for
conviction. Dreyfus was ultimately found innocent of the charges, and allowed to return to the military. The case was
an example of Anti-Semitism, or prejudice against Jews.
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Practice Questions:
_______ 1. Why did the Industrial Revolution begin in England in the eighteenth century?
A. England’s vast overseas Asian Empire gave it the raw materials necessary to industrialize.
B. The geography of England provided rich resources and water transportation needed for
industrialization
C. Napoleon’s Continental System forced England to become self-sufficient
D. Because of failed farming techniques, British people looked for other avenues to achieve economic
success
_______ 2. Luddites and Socialists were similar in the both
A. Believed in laissez-faire economics
B. Wanted free enterprise and entrepreneurialism
C. Resented the Industrial Revolution’s impact on society
D. Supported the election of wealthy business owners to Parliament
_______ 3. What was the greatest influence on urbanization in Britain c1800?
A. Readily available jobs in factories
B. Crop failures in rural areas
C. Universal manhood suffrage
D. International trading opportunities
_______ 4. Which inventor’s creation led to an increase in crop harvests?
A. Samuel Compton
B. James Watt
C. John Kay
D. Jethro Tull
_______ 5. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels would most likely support
A. a classless society where the workers share the factors of production
B. Laissez-faire capitalism as advocated by Adam Smith
C. Survival of the fittest in business, and educational opportunities for the elite
D. Elimination of labor unions as a means to bargain wages
_______ 6. Queen Victoria’s reign in Britain in the nineteenth century was known for
A. Limiting suffrage rights and the number of elected officials
B. decreasing the legislating power of the House of Commons
C. Restoring absolute monarchy, and decreasing the power of Parliament
D. increasing democracy, and limiting the role of the monarch
_______ 7. By the 20th century, self-rule from the British Empire was accomplished in all of the following EXCEPT:
A. Ireland
B. Australia
C. Canada
D. New Zealand
_______ 8. Charles Darwin’s research was controversial mostly because
A. he did not take into account issues of natural selection
B. his discoveries went against the basic teachings of the Church
C. He did not acknowledge advanced human intelligence
D. humans never lived in the Galapagos Islands
Answer Key:
1. B
2. C
3. A
4. D
5. A
6. D
7. A
8. B