Industrial Revolution

What were the causes of the Industrial Revolution?

The Industrial Revolution was caused by the 2nd Agricultural Revolution, the Energy Revolution (coal and steam), and a surplus of natural resources, capital, and labor.

What was the 2nd Agricultural Revolution?

A period of improved farming methods, such as enclosures and crop rotation, that increased food production but led to mass unemployment for rural workers.

What did James Watt do?

He improved the steam engine, making it much more efficient and powerful, which became the driving force of the Industrial Revolution.

What were some of the major improvements associated with the steam engine?

It allowed factories to move away from rivers, powered new transportation like steamships and trains, and made iron smelting more effective.

Why was England the center of the Industrial Age?

England had abundant coal and iron, a stable government, a strong navy for trade, and a large population that provided both labor and demand.

What were some of the outcomes of the Industrial Age?

It led to rapid urbanization, cheaper and more readily available goods, and the rise of a new social hierarchy including a wealthy middle class.

What was the Transportation Revolution?

The development of turnpikes, canals, and railroads that made moving raw materials and finished goods significantly faster and cheaper.

What was rapid urbanization and how did it change European societies?

It was the fast movement of people from farms to cities, which led to overcrowded living conditions but also created new social and economic opportunities.

What were the major beliefs/teachings of Adam Smith?

Smith taught Laissez-Faire economics, advocating for a free market where the government does not regulate business.

What were the major beliefs/teachings of Karl Marx?

Marx advocated for communism, believing that the working class (proletariat) should overthrow the owners (bourgeoisie) to create a classless society.

How did work in the cities change during the Industrial Revolution?

Work shifted from hand-crafting goods at home to long, dangerous shifts in large factories using mass-production methods.

What are corporations and why were they growing during this time?

Corporations are large businesses that sell stock to investors; they grew rapidly as they sought to dominate industries and create monopolies.

What was the Cult of Domesticity?

An idealized view that women should remain in the home as "angels of the house," providing a moral refuge for their husbands.

How did women impact the Temperance and Suffrage movements?

Women led the Temperance movement to limit alcohol and the Suffrage movement to gain the right to vote to improve societal morality and equality.

What are Social Darwinism and Scientific Racism?

These ideas applied biological concepts of "survival of the fittest" to human societies and races to justify imperial expansion and social inequality.