4. Industrial Revolution

Industrial Revolution

A period of rapid industrial development that began in 18th-century Britain and spread globally.

Agricultural Revolution

Advancements in farming techniques that increased food supply and supported population growth.

Crop Rotation

Alternating crops to preserve soil nutrients and increase yield.

Selective Breeding

Breeding plants and animals for specific traits to improve food production.

Enclosure Act

Law allowing wealthy landowners to fence off common lands, leading to more efficient farming but displaced peasants.

Population Explosion

Rapid increase in population due to better food, medicine, and sanitation.

Edward Jenner

Developed the first vaccine (for smallpox), improving public health.

Sanitation

Public health improvements like clean water and waste removal during urbanization.

Political Climate

The political stability and policies that supported industrial and economic growth.

Threshing Machine

Machine that separated grain from stalks, increasing farming efficiency.

McCormick Reaper

Machine that harvested crops faster than manual labor.

Steel Plow

A durable tool that made plowing fields easier and more efficient.

Seed Drill

Invention by Jethro Tull that planted seeds in rows, increasing crop production.

Flying Shuttle

Invention that sped up weaving, allowing wider cloth to be woven faster.

Spinning Jenny

Spinning machine that allowed one worker to spin several spools at once.

Spinning Mule

Combined the Spinning Jenny and Water Frame for stronger and finer yarn.

Water Frame

Spinning machine powered by water, enabling factory-based textile production.

Power Loom

Mechanized loom that sped up the weaving process.

Cotton Gin

Machine invented by Eli Whitney to quickly separate cotton from seeds.

Steam Engine

Improved by James Watt; powered machinery, locomotives, and ships.

Locomotive

Steam-powered train that revolutionized land transportation.

Steamboat

Boat powered by steam engine, used for faster river and ocean travel.

Urbanization

Movement of people from rural to urban areas, leading to city growth.

Tenements

Crowded and poorly built housing for workers in industrial cities.

Pollution

Contamination of air and water due to industrial activities.

Manchester

English city that became a center of textile manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution.

Class Tensions

Conflict between wealthy industrialists and poor working class.

Unions

Organizations of workers formed to demand better pay and working conditions.

Strikes

Work stoppages to protest unfair conditions or wages.

Factory Act of 1833

Law limiting child labor and requiring factory inspections.

Mines Act of 1842

Law prohibiting women and children from working in coal mines.

Ten Hours Act of 1847

Law limiting workdays for women and children to 10 hours.

Capitalism

Economic system based on private ownership and profit motive.

Adam Smith

Author of "Wealth of Nations"; supported capitalism and laissez-faire economics.

Thomas Malthus

Economist who believed population would outpace food supply unless checked.

David Ricardo

Economist known for the "iron law of wages" — wages naturally tend toward the minimum needed for survival.

Socialism

System where means of production are owned by the public or state to promote equality.

Utilitarianism

Philosophy advocating actions that promote the greatest good for the greatest number.

Jeremy Bentham

Founder of utilitarianism; believed in reforming laws for public benefit.

John Stuart Mill

Utilitarian philosopher who advocated for workers’ rights and equal education.

Robert Owen

Social reformer who created model communities with good working conditions.

Saint-Simon

French socialist who proposed a technocratic society run by experts.

Charles Fourier

Utopian socialist who proposed self-sustaining communities called phalansteries.

Karl Marx

Co-author of "The Communist Manifesto"; founder of Marxism.

Bourgeoisie

The capitalist class who owned factories and controlled wealth.

Proletariat

The working class who sold their labor for wages.

Dictatorship of the Proletariat

Transitional socialist government after revolution, run by workers.

Communist Utopia

Marx’s vision of a classless, stateless society with shared property.

Why were living and working conditions so poor during the Industrial Revolution?

Cities grew too quickly; lack of infrastructure led to overcrowding, pollution, disease, and dangerous factory work.

How did governments address some of those problems?

Passed laws like the Factory Act (1833), Mines Act (1842), and Ten Hours Act (1847) to improve conditions and protect workers.

Describe Adam Smith’s three economic laws?

1) Self-Interest, 2) Competition, 3) Supply and Demand.

Why did Malthus and Ricardo suggest keeping wages low?

They believed high wages led to population growth, causing more poverty in the long term.

Describe the four steps of the Agricultural Revolution and how it led to the Industrial Revolution.

1) Enclosure, 2) Crop Rotation, 3) Selective Breeding, 4) New Tools — all increased food and population, supplying labor for industry.

Why did the population increase so dramatically and how did it lead to the Industrial Revolution?

Better farming and medicine lowered death rates, leading to a labor surplus for factories.

Why did the Industrial Revolution start in Great Britain?

Resources (coal, iron), a stable government, capital, innovation, and access to colonies and trade.

Why were the various inventions better than before?

They made production faster, cheaper, and less reliant on manual labor.

How did the steam engine change society?

Powered machinery and transportation; factories no longer needed to be near rivers.

How did Bentham and John Stuart Mill view the role of government?

Government should promote the greatest happiness; intervene to improve social conditions.

How did Robert Owen treat his workers? Why?

He provided housing, education, and fair work hours because he believed it would lead to happier, more productive workers.

Why did St. Simon want a technocracy?

He believed society should be managed by scientists, engineers, and industrialists for efficiency and progress.

How did Fourier expect to address the problems in the workplace and society?

By creating harmonious, self-sufficient communities (phalansteries) where work was shared and passions balanced.

Why did Marx say the bourgeoisie would doom itself?

Its exploitation of workers would lead to rebellion and its own overthrow.

Why did Marx say revolution was inevitable?

He believed class conflict would naturally lead to a proletariat uprising.

When did Marx suggest that government would no longer be needed?

After the proletariat revolution and creation of a classless, stateless, communist society.