G.+Industrial+Revolution+-+Photograph

1750’s – late 1800s
 * Industrial Revolution **

The Industrial Revolution was a period of which there was a dramatic change in the economic and technological development for England during late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. No other countries in Europe could have an industrial revolution during this time because they were having problems with their economy or politics, such as France with Louis XVI inability to deal with the expenses of Versailles and the military. Cotton textile industry was the major producing industry in the revolution. The production of cotton changed a lot in the industries compare to family cotton textile, where the families are likely separated from each other and the work was not shared equally among people. The Industrial revolution also changed the standard of living, houses were more bearable to live in, health was getting better and due to technology advancement and easy transportation of raw material cars were invented, allowing mobility in the country. The population of Britain was increasing and more people were moving from urban places to the city. Lands were now not the only source of income (farming), people could now mine for coal (fuel) and instead of steam power, electricity made things easier on industries. The technological change helped railways replace canals; allowing for better transportation and a spread of it allowing raw materials to travel from one place to the next. More raw materials meant more productions in industries and this helped feed the demand of consumers.

However, working condition within the industries was not sanitary or safe this was mostly true in the First Industrial Revolution. The picture illustrates the working condition of a cotton mill factory, where there are children working the machinery. Children were sent to work for numerous reasons; one was that the parents needed more able bodies to work and support the house. The hours of working were long and the hours for children were equal to the amount of time an adult would work in the factory, this left the children no time to go to school and be educated. The long hours and lifting heavy objects were dangerous to their health enough to cripple their growth. The environment were not safe either, in the picture the boys are handling a machine with his bare hand and is walking on floor that can potentially have glass, bare footed. The boys clothing looks casual and not made to work in factories, obviously the factory didn't have safety protocols to protect the workers. The boy in the back also look like he has an injury to the head which could have been from handling machines or crawling under it, there's not even an adult to supervise them. The Industrial Revolution made great changes but also caused people to be desperate for jobs because machines were replacing them or the need for money to keep up with this face-pace society.

Newman, Garfield. "Legacy: The West and the World". Whitby, Ontario: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 2002.