AP Euro Chapter 20

Mercantilism

A system where Britain focused on accumulating wealth through trade, maintaining a favorable balance of exports over imports.

Market for British goods

The increasing demand for British-made products due to the expanding Atlantic economy.

Labor force

The group of people available and willing to work, especially those in rural areas or cottage industries.

Canal-building

The construction of canals to transport raw materials efficiently during the Industrial Revolution.

Predictable government

A stable political environment in Britain that encouraged economic growth and personal enterprise.

Cotton cloth

A major industry in Britain, where cotton fabric production became increasingly important.

Putting-out system

An old system where goods were produced in homes rather than factories, later deemed inefficient.

Spinning jenny

A hand-powered spinning machine invented by James Hargreaves in 1765 that revolutionized cotton yarn production.

Water frame

A spinning machine developed by Richard Arkwright that required water power for large-scale textile production.

Power loom

Edmund Cartwright's invention that mechanized the weaving process, increasing factory production efficiency.

Foundlings

Orphaned children often used as workers in early factories due to labor shortages.

Textile

The industry focused on fabric production, central to early industrialization in Britain.

Wood

The primary energy source before coal, which became scarce as industries expanded.

Steam engine

A pivotal invention that provided power to industries, revolutionizing manufacturing and transportation.

Iron production increase

Iron production rose from 17,000 tons in 1740 to 3 million tons in 1844, supporting industrial development.

Stephenson's Rocket

The first effective steam-powered locomotive, demonstrating rail transport potential.

Crystal Palace

A massive exhibition hall built for the 1851 Great Exhibition, showcasing British industrial achievements.

Thomas Malthus

An economist who believed population growth would outstrip food supply, leading to famine without controls.

David Ricardo

An economist who developed the 'iron law of wages', suggesting wages would always be driven down by population growth.

Iron law of wages

The theory that wages would remain at a level sufficient to prevent starvation due to population pressure.

Separate spheres

The social model where men worked in public jobs and women focused on home life and child-rearing.

Satanic mills

A term by William Blake criticizing harsh factory working conditions during industrialization.

Luddites

Workers who protested against machinery that threatened their jobs, often through machine-breaking.

Real wages rise

The increase in workers' real income after 1820, improving living standards for many.

Family units in factories

Families worked together in early factories or mines, negotiating wages as a group.

Robert Owen

A factory owner who advocated for better working conditions and early social reforms.

Factory Act of 1833

Legislation that limited child labor, restricting hours and mandating schooling.

Elementary schools by factory owners

Schools established by factory owners to educate children working under the Factory Act of 1833.

Mines Act of 1842

Legislation prohibiting women and girls, along with boys under ten, from working underground.

Domestic service occupation

Refers to the large number of women working as servants in households during industrialization.

Class-consciousness

Increased awareness among workers of their shared interests, leading to labor movements.

The Combination Acts

Laws passed in 1799 that prohibited workers from forming unions and striking, repealed in 1824.

Chartist movement

A working-class political movement advocating for democratic reforms in the UK.