Industrial Revolution Notes

The Two Stages of the Industrial Revolution

  • The Industrial Revolution was not a singular event but rather occurred in two distinct phases:
    • First Industrial Revolution:
      • Began around 1750 and lasted until approximately 1830.
      • Primarily confined to Great Britain.
      • Characterized by specific fuels and engines.
    • Second Industrial Revolution:
      • Started in the mid-19th century and extended to the early 20th century.
      • Spread beyond Britain to parts of Europe, the United States, Russia, and Japan.
      • Marked by different fuels, engines, and technologies compared to the first phase.

Fuels and Engines

  • The fuels and engines used in each phase differentiate the two industrial revolutions.
    • First Industrial Revolution:
      • Fuel: Coal was the primary fuel because it burned hotter than wood.
      • Engine: The steam engine, refined by James Watt (British scientist) in the 18th century, was the main engine.
        • The steam engine used the heat from burning coal to boil water, create steam, and turn turbines.
        • When attached to factory machines, it significantly enhanced their productivity.
        • The adoption of the steam engine meant that factories no longer needed to be powered by rapidly moving water, allowing factories to be built in more locations.
        • Steam engines powered locomotives on railroads and steamships, which facilitated the faster transportation of goods to market.
        • The development of coaling stations around the world allowed ships to refuel.
        • The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 shortened the distance from Europe to Asia, increasing steamship traffic and trade.
    • Second Industrial Revolution:
      • Fuel: Oil became the new primary fuel.
        • Methods to refine oil into gasoline led to the development of the internal combustion engine.
      • Engine: The internal combustion engine was smaller and more efficient than the steam engine and eventually powered the automobile.
  • Both fuel sources dramatically increased the amount of energy available to humans during this period.
  • Environmental costs, such as air pollution, were a downside.

Additional Technologies of the Second Industrial Revolution

  • Besides fuels and engines, the Second Industrial Revolution involved other technologies.
    • Steel Production:
      • Steel became the primary building material, replacing iron from the First Industrial Revolution.
      • The Bessemer process combined iron with carbon and blasted hot air into it, resulting in steel that was stronger, more versatile, and cheaper to produce than iron alone.
      • Steel became the preferred material for bridges, railroads, and ships.
    • Chemical Engineering:
      • Chemical engineers developed synthetic dyes for textiles, which were cheaper than organic dyes.
      • Vulcanization was developed to make rubber harder and more durable.
      • Rubber found use in factories for machine belts and later in automobile tires.
    • Electricity:
      • Electricity had a significant impact thanks to Thomas Edison.
      • Electricity powered light bulbs, lighting factories and homes.
      • Electric streetcars and subways were developed, enhancing mass transit in major cities.
    • Telegraph:
      • Samuel Morse developed the telegraph in the 1840s.
      • It sent communications across wires using short and long electrical signals (Morse code).
      • In the 1870s, a telegraph wire was laid across the Atlantic Ocean, connecting Britain and the United States, further developing their economies.

Major Effects of New Technology

  • Development of Interior Regions
    • Historically, developed cities and states were in coastal areas due to trade.
    • The expansion of railroads, like transcontinental railroads in the United States and Russia, led to new settlements in previously hard-to-reach areas.
    • The telegraph enabled real-time communication on market conditions.
    • These developments led to increased production and sales, boosting wealth.
  • Increase in Trade and Migration
    • Global trade increased tenfold between 1850 and 1913.
    • States became more interconnected in a global economy.
    • New transportation technologies (railroads and steamships) facilitated increased migration.
    • By the mid-19th century, over half of Europe's population migrated from rural areas to urban manufacturing centers for jobs.
    • In the late 19th century, about 20% of Europe's population migrated to the Americas, Australia, and South Africa due to factors like famine and political instability.