History exam study

1. Industrial Revolution

Causes for the Industrial Revolution

• Technological advancements: New machinery (e.g., steam engine) boosted production.

• Agricultural Revolution: Better farming led to surplus food and population growth.

• Access to resources: Availability of coal, iron, and cotton in the UK.

• Capital and Investment: Entrepreneurs and banks invested in factories.

• Political Stability: Stable UK government supported business.

• Colonialism and trade: Overseas markets increased demand for goods.

Changes in Society during the Industrial Revolution:

• Urbanization: Movement from rural areas to cities for factory work led to overcrowding.

• Class Structure: Emergence of a new middle class (factory owners, merchants, professionals) alongside a growing working class that often lived in poor conditions.

• Family Roles: Men worked in factories, with women and children also employed under harsh conditions.

• Living Conditions: Factory workers faced overcrowding, poor sanitation, and long work hours.

Growth in UK, Manchester & Barcelona, VNG:

• United Kingdom: Central to the Industrial Revolution, with Manchester as a major industrial hub.

• Manchester: Known as "Cottonopolis," rapidly expanded due to textile mills and factories.

• Barcelona: Saw later growth from textile production and infrastructure development, though less pronounced than in the UK.

• VNG (Vilanova i la Geltrú): Smaller Spanish cities grew with port trade and industries.

Peterloo Massacre:

• Event: On August 16, 1819, a peaceful protest in Manchester ended violently with cavalry charging into a crowd of 60,000.

• Significance: Highlighted lack of political representation for working-class people, increasing public support for reform movements.

Trade Unions:

• Formation: Industrial workers formed unions for better wages, hours, and conditions.

• Early Challenges: Initially illegal and faced opposition from employers and the government.

• Achievements: Unions led to important reforms like the Factory Acts, which limited child labor and improved working conditions.

2. Suffragists & Suffragettes

Leaders

• Suffragists:

  • Millicent Fawcett led the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) using peaceful methods like petitions and lobbying.

  • Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence supported gradual reform within the suffragist movement.

• Suffragettes:

  • Emmeline Pankhurst led the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) with militant tactics.

  • Christabel Pankhurst, her daughter, was also a key leader in the suffragette movement.

Tactics:

• Suffragists (NUWSS): Focused on legal methods such as petitioning, public speeches, and organizing meetings to influence public opinion and worked closely with politicians for gradual legal reform.

• Suffragettes (WSPU): Adopted militant tactics including civil disobedience, hunger strikes, and acts of vandalism to demand rights.

Key Differences:Suffragists aimed for gradual reform through persuasion, while Suffragettes believed in radical, confrontational action to attract attention to their cause.

Further Study:

Key Dates: Recall important events such as the Peterloo Massacre (1819) and the great suffragette mobilisations (early 20th century).

Impact: The Industrial Revolution brought significant changes to economic and social structures, while the suffragette movement played a crucial role in transforming the societal position of women.