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Week 25 Homework Assignment

1. What role did the preceding agricultural revolution play in the rise of industry in Britain?

Without the agricultural revolution that previously took place, the Industrial Revolution could not have occurred in Britain. As farming improved (increased use of pesticides, farming methods such as crop rotation, and the enclosure movement), agricultural output increased, and more people lived longer. As a result, more labor was available for industry, and the people, booted from their farms because of the enclosure movement, went looking for work in the cities.

2. What roles did cotton, the steam engine and new forms of transportation have that led to the rise of industry in Britain?

New technology was introduced into the cotton industry that made it easier for it to be woven and spun. Buildings where these machines could be placed were needed, so more factories were built, and more jobs were created. As newer technology for spinners was invented, technology for weavers raced to catch up, and vice versa. This created competition that would continue to drive industry.

The steam engine allowed for factories to be built anywhere, whereas before they had to be built near the only reliable power source at the time, water. As steam power was more widely used, industry grew faster. Railroads were built that could transport goods at timely speed, and steam-powered boats were constructed so that bigger payloads could be shipped farther. As a result, weaker people – children and women – could work with these stronger, less demanding machines, and society in Britain was transformed.

3. What were the working and living conditions of the poor proletariat workers in Industrial Britain?

The proletariat workers lived and worked in crowded and filthy environments, and they caught diseases easily. The home is only seen as shelter, and meals are prepared and eaten hastily, so that they can get back to making the little money that they do. Dust and soot was everywhere, and had negative effects on the workers’ lungs.