Transcript Social Impact of the Industrial Revolution

Social Impact of the
Industrial Revolution
A Chapter 19, Section 3
Production
What did the Revolution do?
The Industrial Revolution brought great
riches to those who put it in motion (the
entrepreneurs).
 However, the revolution also brought high
poverty rates and harsh living conditions
for others.
 Everyone will agree that the industrial
revolution brought many benefits that still
effect us today….
 But we are left to ask….was it worth the
struggle it put the masses through for the
world we have today?

People Move to New Industrial
Cities
 The
revolution brought rapid
urbanization
– The movement of people to cities
– (this is what happened to your villages)
 Several
factors caused people to
move quickly:
– Changes in farming
– Population growth
– Demand for factory workers
Manchester-A Good Example


The city of Manchester had a population of
17,000 in 1750.
– The industrial boom transformed this city into
the center of the textile industry.
– The population grew to 40,000 by 1780
– 70,000 by 1801
 Is this near a transformation that you
experienced in your villages?
Manchester transformed from a quiet smaller
town into a town covered in a “cloud of coal
vapor”
– Also, it was filled with the noise pollution of
steam engines
– And a Stinky river
London-Another Example
New Social Classes Emerge

The industrial revolution created a new
“middle class.”
– They operated factories, mines and railroads
– They also had a more “comfortable” lifestyle
than the working class

Those who moved to the cities had a more
difficult time:
– Many felt lost and bewildered
– Many faced tough working conditions
– Despite these problems, they were able to
form their own sense of community.
The Industrial Middle Class
 This
middle class was also referred to
as the “bourgeoisie”
– They were as diverse as the French
Bourgeoisie:
 Merchants
 Skilled
Artisans
 Many inventors
– This B class was more open to those
who found a rags to riches story.
The Daily Life of the Middle Class
The middle class lived in large spacious
homes and had their own supply of water.
 Some had sympathy for the poor, but
many believed they could work to get
ahead.
 Women did not leave the home, they
stayed at home to raise their children.

– This is different from the wealthy who had
servants to care for children.
– And the working class whose children were
part of the workforce.
The Industrial Working Class

The working class had crappy lives.
– They lived in foul-smelling slums
– They lived in tenements
 Multistory buildings divided into apartments
 These had no running water, just community pumps.
 No sewage or sanitation systems.
– This meant garbage rotted in the streets.
– Sewage was also dumped into the rivers and
streams
 Sewage in the water?
– This made the water stinky and it became labeled
as contaminated
 Full of bacteria or disease, which spread
things like cholera.
An Attempt to Make Things Safer
 The
working class began to take
chances to change their own
situation.
 Many looked to labor unions for
change
– Workers organizations
 These
unions were illegal but existed
in secret.
The Goal of Unions?
 Unions
attempted to make the
following changes:
– Pay Increases
– Shorter Work Days
– Safer Conditions etc.
 The
unions had no political power,
and often turned to violence in
attempts to create change.
One Famous Riot
The first riots happened from 1811-1813.
 One notable riot was caused by the
Luddites.

– They were textile workers that hated the
machines that were taking away their jobs.
– They would operate at night, and destroy
machines with sledgehammers and burn
factories to the ground

Many individuals throughout the working
class supported the Luddites.
What were they so mad about?

Here is a short list of conditions workers
faced in factories:
– 12 to 16 hour days
– 6-7 Day work weeks
– Nearly no breaks (had to have owner’s
permission)
– Machines with no safety devices
 Exhaustion
lead to several accidents
– Lost fingers, limbs, or even lives
– Poor air quality (lint) that filled lungs.

If you refused to work due to illness or
injury, you were fired.
It was Worse for Women
Factory owners preferred to higher women
because they thought they would adapt
easier to machinery and were easier to
boss around.
 They also could pay women half of what
they would pay men
 Women still had the home life to worry
about.

– What struggles do you think women would
face at home after working a 12 hour day?
The One Place that was Worse?
 Coalmines!
 Although
miners were paid more
than factory workers, they had to
endure worse conditions.
– Small, Dark tunnels.
– The air was filled with coal dust (worse
than lint)
– Also, the everpresent danger of
explosions, flooding, and collapsing
tunnels.
But what about the children?
First of all, almost none of you would be in
this classroom right now.
 Children started working around 7-8

–
–
–
–
They would change spools in textile mills
Crawl under and repair machines
Open and close air vents in coal mines
Haul coal carts
These children were expected to work the
hardest jobs, longest hours, and therefore
toughest days…
 So there was pressure for change.

Factory Acts

In the early 1800’s laws labeled the
“factory acts” did the following:
– Work hours for children were limited to 12
hours
– Children under 9 could not work in the cotton
mills.

These laws were not thoroughly enforced.
– British lawmakers formed inspector teams to
randomly check in on mills and mines to
ensure compliance

These acts set the groundwork for later
laws in the 1830’s-1840’s.
An Excellent Summary

Despite the social problems created by the
Industrial Revolution—low pay, dismal
living conditions—the Industrial Age did
have some positive effects. As demand for
mass-produced goods grew, new factories
opened, which in turn created more jobs.
Wages rose so that workers had enough
left after paying rent and buying food to
buy a newspaper or visit a music hall. As
the cost of railroad travel fell, people could
visit family in other towns. Horizons
widened and opportunities increased.
Your Question?
 Why
was the industrial revolution
seen as both a blessing and a curse?
 Do
you think all of the social costs
and problems are outweighed by the
benefits brought forth by
industrialization?