Industrial Revolution Notes Packet and Study Guide

Thirty question-and-answer flashcards summarizing the origins, social and economic impacts, technological innovations, and business developments of the Industrial Revolution.

How did people typically provide for their needs and live before the Industrial Revolution?

People lived a simple lifestyle where they provided for themselves, used handmade tools with a farming focus, and made their own clothing and goods.

What changes resulted from the Agricultural Revolution?

Advancements in farming through new tools and techniques led to increased quality and quantity of farm products, a surplus of food, better health, improved hygiene and sanitation, and rapid population growth.

What was the primary source of energy for new inventions during the Energy Revolution?

Coal was the primary energy source.

What was James Watt's major contribution to the Industrial Revolution?

He developed an improved version of the steam engine powered by coal, which served as a vital power source for machines, locomotives, and steamboats.

What natural resources helped Great Britain lead the Industrial Revolution?

Great Britain had plentiful natural resources, including coal, water, iron, tin, and copper.

What role did entrepreneurs play in Britain's industrialization?

They were individuals who assumed the financial risk of starting new businesses, supported by government policies fostering economic growth.

What was the "putting-out system" or "cottage industry"?

An older textile production method where cotton was slowly spun into thread by peasants working at home.

Who invented the steam locomotive, and what was the first major railway line opened in $1830$?

George Stephenson created the steam locomotive, and the first major railway ran from Manchester to Liverpool in $1830$.

What is urbanization, and what two major factors caused it during the Industrial Revolution?

Urbanization is the movement of people to cities, driven by advancements in farming and high demand for factory workers.

Who made up the new middle class that profited from industrial growth?

Merchants, inventors, bankers, investors, shopkeepers, and factory owners.

What were the living conditions like in working-class tenements?

Tenements were multistory buildings divided into tiny apartments with no running water and no sewage or sanitation systems; dumping waste into rivers led to the spread of cholera.

What were the typical daily shifts and weekly schedules for factory workers?

Workers worked shifts of $12$ to $16$ hours a day, $6$ to $7$ days a week, with breaks granted only by owners.

Why did women make up the majority of factory workers during the Industrial Revolution?

Employers found that women adapted more easily to machines, were easier to manage, and could be paid lower wages than men.

How did working conditions in mines differ from those in factories?

Miners received higher pay than factory workers, but faced worse conditions, including lung damage from coal dust, working in darkness, tunnel explosions, long hours, and very few breaks.

Why were children as young as $5$ years old hired to work in factories and mines?

They had quick, nimble, small fingers that allowed them to crawl under machinery, climb down mine shafts, and open and close air vents in dark mines.

What legislation was passed to reduce child labor in factories?

The Factory Acts of $1833$.

What positive changes or "blessings" arose from industrialization for the working class?

It led to voting rights for working-class men, rising wages, an increased standard of living, new jobs, and social mobility (the ability to advance social class).

What process did Henry Bessemer develop in $1856$, and why was it significant?

He developed a process to manufacture steel, which was lighter, stronger, and more durable than iron, improving bridges, railroads, and tools.

What explosive did Alfred Nobel invent, and how was its usage altered from its original purpose?

He invented dynamite as a safer explosive intended for construction, but it was ultimately used for warfare.

What did Alessandro Volta develop in $1800$?

He developed the first battery.

What machine did Michael Faraday invent to generate electricity?

The dynamo, a machine that generates electricity and serves as the operating principle for modern electrical generators.

How did Thomas Edison's electric light bulb impact factory production and city life?

It quickened city life, allowed factories to stay open and operate at night, and created more jobs.

How did the introduction of interchangeable parts improve manufacturing?

Interchangeable parts made the production and repair of goods easier, faster, and more efficient.

How does an assembly line operate to make production faster and cheaper?

Products move along a belt from station to station, where a different worker performs a specific task at each station.

What transportation innovation did Nikolaus Otto invent?

He invented the gas-powered internal combustion engine.

Who received the patent for the first automobile?

Karl Benz.

How did Henry Ford change the automobile industry?

He used the assembly line to mass-produce cars, establishing the United States as the leader in the auto industry.

What milestone did Orville and Wilbur Wright achieve in $1903$ at Kittyhawk, NC?

They used an internal combustion engine to power the first successful airplane flight.

What are corporations, monopolies, and cartels in industrial business?

Corporations are businesses owned by many investors who purchase stock shares; monopolies are corporations that control entire industries without competition; and cartels are groups of corporations that fix prices and control markets.

Who was the industrial leader that established Standard Oil Co.?

John D. Rockefeller.