Industrial Revolution Review

Flashcards about the causes, conditions, and consequences of the Industrial Revolution in Britain

Agricultural Revolution

Crop rotation, selective breeding (Robert Bakewell), and better plows led to surplus food and lower death rates during the Industrial Revolution in Britain.

Population Growth (Industrial Revolution)

More workers available due to declining mortality and increasing birth rates in Britain.

Colonies & Trade (Industrial Revolution)

Provided raw materials and markets for Britain's industrial growth.

Geography & Resources (Industrial Revolution)

Britain was rich in coal and iron; navigable rivers supported transport.

Innovation & Invention (Industrial Revolution)

Scientific revolution, Enlightenment, and risk-taking entrepreneurs enabled new technologies in Britain.

Factory Working Conditions

12–16 hour days, 6 days/week; very low wages; unsafe machines, poor ventilation, injuries common; children earned 2–4 shillings, women earned half of men’s wages; workers fined for mistakes or paid in tokens for overpriced company stores.

Coal Mines (Industrial Revolution)

Extreme danger: collapses, explosions, black lung; children dragged coal carts in tight, dark spaces; worked 12+ hours daily with minimal safety.

Living Conditions (Industrial Revolution)

Overcrowded, unsanitary slums; no sewage systems; high disease rates (cholera, typhoid); high infant mortality; polluted air, smog, and poor nutrition.

Child Labor in Factories

Crawled under machines, hauled coal, worked long hours with little rest; faced beatings, ear weights, straps, and whippings as punishments; suffered deformities, lung diseases, injuries, and exhaustion.

Spinning Jenny

Invention by James Hargreaves in 1764 that spun 8 threads at once, boosting textile speed.

Water Frame

Invention by Richard Arkwright in 1771 that produced stronger thread and was water-powered, leading to the factory system.

Spinning Mule

Invention by Samuel Crompton in 1775, combining the Jenny & Frame to produce high-quality thread.

Steam Engine

Invention by James Watt between 1763–8 that was used in factories and transport, revolutionizing power.

Power Loom

Invention by Edmund Cartwright in 1785 that mechanized weaving, increasing speed and lowering costs.

Chartism Movement

A movement in Britain from 1838–1848 driven by anger over the 1832 Reform Act and demanding universal male suffrage, secret ballot, no property qualifications for MPs, pay for MPs, equal constituencies, and annual Parliaments.

Factory Act of 1833

Act that prohibited work for children under 9, mandated 2 hours of school, and limited work to a maximum of 9 hours/day for ages 9–13, with 4 inspectors to enforce.

Factory Act of 1844

Act that mandated safety features on machines, set 6.5-hour workdays for 9-year-olds, and required school attendance.

Ten Hours Act of 1847

Act that limited women and children (13–18) to 10 hours/day of work.

Factory Act of 1853

Act that set working hours for teens and required meal breaks.