INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

• What was the initial reason that people in Britain started mining coal?

  • they needed something to burn other than wood for their foods
• How did the fact that wet conditions made British coal hard to get to turn into an advantage for Britain?

  • their mines would flood so it made it harder to get coal. they had to devise a way to get the water out of the mines, which led to the invention of the steam engine
• Why did the Industrial Revolution spread out of Britain?

  • The Industrial Revolution spread out of Britain for several reasons, including access to raw materials like coal and iron, a large labor force due to population growth, advances in agricultural productivity freeing up workers, a strong financial system supporting investment, and a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship
• What were some consequences of the Industrial Revolution?

  • Some consequences of the Industrial Revolution include urbanization as people moved to cities for factory jobs, the rise of capitalism and new economic systems, environmental degradation due to pollution and resource extraction, social changes like the emergence of the middle class and labor movements, and advancements in technology and infrastructure
• How different modes and locations of production have developed and changed over time

  1. Technological advancements

  2. Shifts in consumer demand

  3. Changes in transportation and communication networks

  4. Government policies

  5. Globalization
• Changes in production

  • From small-scale cottage industries to large factories
  • From local markets to global supply chains
• Advancements in production

  • Automation
  • Digital technologies
• Advancements like automation and digital technologies have further transformed production methods and locations
• Possible reasons why industrialization did not begin in China

  • Location of China's coal—the north—while most economic activity was centered in the south
  • China had "dry coal" that was deeper in the ground than Britain's "wet coal"
  • A large, rapidly growing population, allowing for human labor instead of machines
  • Confucian ideals that valued stability and discouraged experimentation and change
  • Lack of Chinese government support for sea explorations, thinking its empire seemed large enough to provide everything it needed
  • China's focus on defending itself from nomadic attacks from the north and west
• Global forces influencing the development of industrialization in Britain include:

  • Britain's location on the Atlantic Ocean
  • British colonies in North America, which provided land, labor, and markets
  • Silver from the Americas, used in trade with China
  • Social and ideological conditions in Britain, and new thoughts about the economy, that encouraged an entrepreneurial spirit
• • building a national railroad system was an essential part of industrialization, as trains could transport raw materials and coal to factories at an accelerated rate
• • Introduction of Industrialization in the United States (1789):
  • Samuel Slater established the first textile factory in Rhode Island, marking the beginning of industrialization in the United States.
  • Slater had to rely on memory as he couldn't bring plans or notes from Britain, highlighting the transfer of industrial knowledge
• • Railroad Construction Boom (1830s-1870s):
  • Railroad construction experienced rapid growth in the United States during this period, facilitating transportation and economic expansion
  • Railroads played a crucial role in connecting distant regions, fostering trade, and supporting industrial development
• American Civil War (1861-1865) as a Catalyst for Industrialization:


  • The Civil War marked the emergence of mass production in factories for war supplies and weapons, illustrating the industrialization of warfare
  • The use of railroads for troop transportation and the telegraph for communication demonstrated technological advancements in military logistics
• Post-War Industrial Growth in the United States:

  • Following the Civil War, industrialization in the United States experienced explosive growth, surpassing Britain in manufacturing output by 1900
  • The increasingly urbanized and factory-based North competed against the agriculture-based South, reflecting contrasting economic systems
• Industrialization in Russia and Japan:

  • Both Russia and Japan transitioned from feudal systems to compete in the industrializing world, albeit with different outcomes
  • Japan's monarchy adapted to early industrialization, while Russia's czar and nobles attempted to industrialize while maintaining dominance over rural society
• Age of Imperialism and Exploitation of Colonies:

  • Industrialized nations used their military power to colonize non-industrialized parts of the world, exploiting colonies for natural resources, labor, and new markets
  • This era marked the beginning of imperialism, with long-lasting negative consequences felt across generations
• Impact of Industrialization on Global Population:

  • Before the use of fossil fuels in 1700, the world's population stood at 670 million
  • By 2011, the population had grown to 6.7 billion, representing a tenfold increase in just 300 years
  • The twentieth century saw dramatic economic growth, with the world economy expanding fourteenfold, per capita income nearly quadrupling, and energy usage increasing at least thirteenfold
• Urbanization and Population Growth:

  • From 1900 to 2000, urban population growth experienced a substantial increase as more people migrated from rural areas to cities
  • This unprecedented urbanization marked a significant shift in human history, with more people living in urban areas than ever before