Unit -9
The Industrial Revolution
( Focus on England, 18th and 19th century,)
(a) Innovations and Technological changes
(a) Patterns of growth,
(c) Emergence of working class
(d) Historians view point, Debate “Was there an Industrial Revolution.
Q: How did Britain’s involvement in wars from 1793 to 1815 affect British Industries?
Ans: From 1793 to 1815 Britain was engaged in wars in Europe, North America and India which affected British industries in following ways:
1. These wars were a drain of resources and capital.
2. Workers were transferred from factories to battle fields.
3. Food prices rise sharply.
4. Under the Continental System of Napoleon, British goods were banned in Europe. Trade with Britain was strictly prohibited though smuggling continued.
5. During these war years the underestimated colonies like India proved boon for British industries. These colonies provided market and raw material for British Industries.
Q: What were the relative advantages of Canal and Railway Transportation?
Ans: The relative advantages of Canal and Railway transportation were:
Canal:
1. Canal transportation was easy and cheap e.g. Worsley Canal.
2. Canal transportation led to fall in prices even when demand for coal was increasing for industrial energy, heating and lighting.
3. Canal transportation increased the value of mines, quarries and forests due to increased accessibility.
4. Confluence of Canals created Market centre’s in new towns e.g. Birmingham City owed its growth to its position at the heart of land system connecting London and Bristol channels and Mersey and Humber Rivers.
Railways:
1. Unlike Canal transportation which suffered from many problems like slow movement due to congestion of vessels, frost, flood or drought, railway transport was cheap, easier and fast.
2. Railway transport was available throughout the year.
3. Railway transport boosted production in coal and iron industry.
4. Railway transport provided employment to large no. of workers and boosted construction and public works industries.
Q: What were the interesting features of the innovations of 18th century?
Ans: Interesting features of innovations of 18th century are:
A. Individuals who brought these innovations were not trained scientists but workers & scholars, whose interest and curiosity made them the inventors. E.g. Richard Arkwright inventor of Water Frame was a Barber; John Metcalf who surveyed and planned roads was blind.
B. Availability of raw materials like coal, iron and cotton affected the nature of inventions. E.g. the cycle of inventions in cotton industry was sought to maintain balance between tasks of spinning and weaving.
C. Britain was at the forefront in these inventions.
D. In the sphere of steam power/energy Thomas Savery, Thomas Newcomen and James Watt had some knowledge relevant to their inventions.
E. Commercialism and Colonialism emerged because of Industrial Revolution.
Q: Indicate how the supply of raw materials affected the nature of British Industrialization?
Ans: More than 26000 inventions were recorded in the 18th century but those inventions which revolutionized the British Industries were the ones where Britain had easy access to raw materials like coal, iron and cotton. For Industrialization, easy access to raw materials is necessity. Such raw materials should either be available in home country or imported from the foreign countries to maintain the balance of supply.
1. Britain was lucky in possessing excellent Coal and high grade Iron ore close to ports, roads or railways which made industrializations fast and cheap.
2. A number of experiments by Abraham Family revolutionized the Iron industry. Iron because of its durability soon replaced wood for everyday items and machinery.
3. In cotton textile industry, raw material was imported from India at low cost. The inventions in cotton textile industry were related to maintaining balance between spinning and weaving.
Thus, looking at the above mentioned examples of iron coal and cotton, one can say the nature of British industries was to a large extent affected by supply of raw materials.
Q: How were the lives of different classes of British women affected by Industrial revolution?
Ans: Industrial revolution had a varied impact on different classes of British Women:
A. The life of Women of upper and middle classes became more comfortable. These women had more time for leisure, entertainment and pursuance of intellectual activities like reading and writing novels. But they also faced increasing levels of Isolation. Many Upper class women reflected on hypocrisy of social norms and solid prejudice against women.
B. Women of lower classes who earlier were actively involved in domestic work and farm sought employment in factories. Earnings of lower class women were necessary to supplement meager family income.
C. Women gained financial independence and self-esteem. But gains were offset by humiliating terms of work, ties between family members loosened.
Q: Compare the effects of the coming of railways in different countries of world?
Ans: The impact of railways in different countries of world varied greatly. The coming railways has to viewed from the point that the world at that time was divided among imperialist powers like Britain, France, Holland, Portugal, Spain etc. and the countries which were dominated by these imperialist powers were either colonies like India, semi-colonies like China or settler Colonies like Australia.
The effect of railways in imperialist countries was positive because railways apart from revolutionizing transport, spearheaded industrial revolution in these countries. Railways provided cheap, fast and easy will weather mode of transport, unified different regions of nations, had a multiplier effect on other industries.
The Effect of railways on colonies like India was further colonization, economic exploitation and underdevelopment. The imperialist countries exploited the resources of colonies to the maximum. The railways enabled colonizers to better tap the hitherto untapped markets in the interiors of the country for both the finished goods and food stuffs to feed their hungry machines and operatives.
Q. Why did London emerge as centre of global Trade?
Ans: London emerged as the centre of global trade because:
1. London was hub of British markets with other markets closely linked to it.
2. London was centre of Triangular trade between England, Africa and New World.
3. Most of the trading companies had offices in London.
4. London replaced Amsterdam as main source for loans for International Trade.
5. The Bank of England was established in 1694 and subsequently no of banks increased.
Q. Why Industrial Revolution first began in England? Or discuss the developments in Britain and other parts of the world in the 18th century that encouraged British Industralisation?
Ans: England was the first country to experience Industrial Revolution in second half of 18th century because:
1. England was politically stable under Monarchy, with common laws, common currency and markets not fragmented by local taxes.
2. Enclosures and Agricultural Revolution provided sufficient food and cheap labour for factories.
3. In trade rivalries of Europe, England emerged as unrivalled and accumulated vast profit.
4. England had good transport system in the form of roads and railways.
5. English colonies served as cheap source of raw material, and market for finished goods.
Q. Discuss briefly how Industrial Revolution affected lives of people?
Ans: Industrial Revolution created a class of rich Industrialists (Capitalists) whose main motive was profit and poor daily wage workers. Early Industralisation increased population and no of cities but the provisions for housing, water and sanitation did not match the increasing population. With the result people were forced to live in overcrowded slums while the rich lived in Bungalows in suburbs. The average life span of workers was reduced to 15 years in Birmingham and 17 years in Manchester. More over epidemics, Cholera and tuberculosis caused death to people in large numbers.
Q. Briefly discuss the important inventions which revolutionized Cotton Textile Industry?
Ans: Before 17th century England imported bales of cotton from its colonies especially India. However a series of technological inventions revolutionise indigenous industry. Among them important ones are:
1. The Spinning Jenny of James Hargreaves (1765) enabled a single person to spin several threads of yarn simultaneously.
2. Flying Shuttle of John Kay made possible to weave broader cloths in lesser time.
3. Water Frame of Richard Arkwright (1769) was run on water power and produced stronger and pure cotton fabrics.
4. Mule of Samuel Crompton (1779) produced strong and fine yarn. It had combined advantages of Spinning Jenny and Mule.
5. Power Loom runs on Steam power by Cartwright.
6. Cotton Jin of Elis Whitney removed seeds from cotton balls 300 times faster than done by hands.
Q. Write short note on Child Labour during the Industrial Revolution?
Ans: The factory records are evidence to the children as young as 9 years formed half of the factory workers and 28% under 14 year’s age. These children used to work in dangerous factories and coal miners for long unbroken hours under strict discipline and sharp punishments. They were paid meager wages. Poor parents encouraged their children to work in these factories and coalmines to supplement meager family income. Capitalists were happy to employ children and women as they were less agitating, could move in tightly
packed machinery and were less paid. The long and unbroken hours of working, lack of fresh air and exercise, accidents, pollution etc proved harmful for their lives and drastically reducing average life span of workers.
Q. What do you mean by industrial revolution?
Ans: The term industrial revolution stands for the rapid transformation of industry and economy in Britain in the latter half of 18th century. It is associated with new machinery technology and organization of production. Animal and man power was replaced by new machines and steam power, cottage industries by Factories etc.
Q. What is Two Combinations Act?
Ans: The Two Combination Acts banned gathering of more than 50 people, and to incite the people by speech or in writing to hatred or contempt of the king, Constitution and govt.
Q: Old Corruption?
Ans: The term old Corruption was used for privileges linked to Monarchy and Parliament.
Q. What were Enclosures?
Ans: Enclosures was a process from 1775 when hundreds of small farms were merged in to large one of powerful landlords. This reduced small farmer’s agricultural lands and forced them to work in industrial towns.
Q. What is Luddism?
Ans: Luddism is associated with General Ned Ludd. The participants in this movement demanded minimum wages, control over women and child labor and right to form trade unions.
Q. What do you know about Peterloo Massacre?
Ans: Peterloo Massacre of 1819 is associated with brutal suppression of 80,000 people gathered at St Peters Field in Manchester who demanded democratic rights like political organization, public gathering etc.
Points to remember:
1) European scholars like George Michelet in France, Friedrich Engels in Germany and Arnold Toynbee of England were the first to use term Industrial revolution.
2) Model steam engine built in 1698 by Thomas Savery is known as “Miners Friend”.
3) Worseley Canal was constructed by James Brindley in 1761 to link coal mines of Worseley with Manchester city.
4) Puffing Devil of Richard Trevithick (Built in 1801) pulled trucks around mines in Cornwall.
5) George Stephenson built “The Blutcher” locomotive for railways.
6) 1788-1796 were the canal mania years whereas 1830-1850 were Railway mania years.
7) The Iron Bridge over river Severn in Coolbrookdale built by Third Darby is a heritage site.
8) Field factory Act or 10 Hours bill of 1847 reduced the working hours for children and woman to 10 hours a day.
9) Soho Foundary Was set up by James Watt at Birmingham in 1775.
10) Mines and Collieries Act of 1842 banned children less than 10 years of age and woman from underground.
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