Industrial Revolution

Bonnie Sue Ford

November 16, 2011

Britain’s Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution was largely confined to Britain in the 1760 to 1830’s. First of all, its domination of the seas gave it control of ocean transportation and trade. British trade of tobacco, sugar, tea, and slaves was a crucial part of its control. Secondly, their banking system provided capital for investments which provided a surplus in finances; using that as an international scale. Inventions included John Kay’s “flying shuttle” weaving device and George Stephenson’s “Rocket” railway train, along with Abraham Darby’s use of coal instead of charcoal to create fuel, as well as Henry Bessemer’s renovation of steel production. All of these innovations supported the production and transportation of products and materials used for trade and in industrial factories. Other developments included a seed drill, mechanical reapers, and threshers which helped promote the growth and trade of the country.

The Industrial Revolution was a positive era in Britain, but at the beginning it brought no benefits to the country. Living conditions in the cities became unsanitary, as well as cramped and depleted. Factories subjected men, women and even children to workers to low wages, harsh punishments, and unprotected work around dangerous machinery. The extensive use of coal in industries polluted the atmosphere, as well as people’s lungs, and the working conditions were not much better in the coalmines. Workers were only able to afford to eat rancid meats, fatty fried foods, and stale bread, which contributed to the extreme malnutrition and sickness in the cities.

However, the positive outcome was that Britain obtained much capital from its many international trade ventures. All dealing with the exchange of new and improved machinery. In all of Europe, Britain became the most powerful and economically strongest manufacturing nation. As Britain became financially stronger,...