The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution started in 1760 in the United Kingdom, because of the textile industry, more specific for cloth: the English population was growing, and they wanted to buy cloth, but there weren’t enough. So, by building machines, their production could increase.

This revolution began easily in the United Kingdom thanks to its power : maritime, commercial, productive and military. Also, because the UK was rich in iron and coal, and it was very well connected.

The industrial revolution marked the development in the second half of the eighteenth century that transformed rural societies of britain in industrial and urban societies. At that time, industries will be marked by many innovations. It is due in large part to inventions in the field of machines.

The improvement of the steam engine by James Watt in 1769 will allow the development of many economic sector like the textile, the coal, the steel industry, the transports become much more accessible thanks to the steam train.

Goods that had been handmade are being mass produced by machines in factories. The agricultural sector is also evolving. The mechanization of the fields allows to carry out to a single man the work of 10 people previously. The Industrial Revolution brought about a demographic transition.

The improvement of agricultural techniques reduces famines, thus mortality. The English population is increasing.

The territories change because of the introduction of motorized transport means such as the train or the steam boat. The industrial revolution spread to the rest of the world, including the United States, in the 1830s and 40s.

The best known innovations are : electricity, combustion engine, transport like train and boat, techniques of production, telegraph, etc.

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