Unit 7: Industrialization and Economic Development Summary

  • Unit Overview

    • Great Britain was the origin of the 18th century Industrial Revolution.
    • Use of water and coal energy increased agricultural productivity, population, and wealth.
    • Industrialization has diffused globally since the 18th century.

  • Measures of Development

    • Statistical measures developed to track societal changes include:
    • Country output
    • Income distribution
    • Birth rates
    • Literacy rates
    • Gender opportunities
    • These metrics help create models of economic and social development.

  • Variations in Development

    • Industrialization enhanced trade and interdependence, improving living standards for many.
    • However, job losses occurred due to automation and global shifts in labor.
    • Emergence of an international division of labor.
    • Environmental degradation due to industrialization has led to calls for sustainable practices.

  • Enduring Understandings

    • SPS-7: Industrialization has both improved living standards and created uneven development.
    • PSO-7: Economic and social development varies by region.
    • IMP-7: Sustainable development strategies can address environmental issues.

  • Topics Covered

    • Industrial Revolution and its growth and diffusion.
    • Spatial patterns of industrial production and development.
    • Social and economic measures of development.
    • Gender parity in economic development.

  • The Industrial Revolution

    • Characterized by:
    • Shift from cottage industries to factory systems.
    • Increase in production efficiency and speed.
    • Movement from home-based production to large-scale factories.
    • Rapid diffusion globally from the late 18th century onwards.

  • Characteristics Comparison

    • Cottage Industry vs. Factory Production:
    • Scale of Production: Small vs. Large
    • Labor Force: One family vs. Many
    • Production Method: Human labor vs. Machines
    • Investment Needed: Low vs. High
    • Production Speed: Slow vs. Fast
    • Market Reach: Local vs. Local & Global

  • Urbanization Effects

    • Increased urbanization due to factory employment; cities experienced rapid growth.
    • Challenges arose: poor sanitation, disease, air pollution.
    • Changes in social class structure with an expanding middle class and stark division between classes.

  • Physical Changes in Cities

    • Cities expanded horizontally and vertically due to transportation advancements.
    • Urbanization led to the need for improved public health measures.

  • Colonialism and Industrialism

    • Industrialization encouraged imperialism for acquiring resources and markets.
    • Created economic divides between industrialized and non-industrialized nations.

  • Current Industrial Regions

    • Traditional industrial regions are primarily in the Northern Hemisphere's midlatitudes.
    • Deindustrialization has led to factory closures in these regions, with jobs moving to lower-wage countries.
    • Areas with many closed factories termed 'rust belts'.