Industrial Revolution Notes and Questions

By Amy C Gilstrap

Last updated about 4 years ago

16 Questions

The Industrial Revolution was the transition from the domestic production of goods (think domestic system textile making) to the mass manufacturing  of goods.  This processes started in England in the late 1700s and spread to other parts of Europe and the United States in the mid 1800's. 

Textiles - The First Products of the Industrial Revolution

New inventions were created that changed the process of textile making.

1733 Kays ‘Flying Shuttle’ – an attachment to a simple hand loom which knocked the shuttle (carrying thread) flying across the loom. Sped up weaving and allowed broad cloth to be made by one weaver.

1765 Hargreave’s ‘Spinning Jenny’ – a development of the hand spinning wheel which allowed eight (later 120) threads to be spun at once. It sped up spinning but the thread was rather weak.

1769 Arkwright’s ‘Water Frame’ – the first factory machine (1771), powered by water. It spun a strong but rather thick thread.
1779 'Crompton’s Mule’ – the first steam powered machine (1785). It spun a fine, strong thread.
1785 Cartwright’s Power Loom or ‘Impossible Machine’ – a steam powered loom that they had said was impossible. It began to be common in factories c1830 when the domestic system finally died out.

Match the machine to its description

		Sped up weaving and allowed broad cloth to be made by one weaver.
		hand spinning wheel which allowed eight (later 120) threads to be spun at once. It sped up spinning but the thread was rather weak.
		the first factory machine (1771), powered by water. It spun a strong but rather thick thread.
		the first steam powered machine (1785). It spun a fine, strong thread.
		steam powered loom to weave cloth faster and with better quality



Factories – buildings that housed the new machines of industry
Early factories were built on rivers, to use the power of water
Later on factories were able to be built anywhere, because they used steam engines to power their machines. 
Textiles became less expensive as factory production made it easier and faster to make cloth.
 

Before the Industrial Revolution people were responsible for the quality of textiles. This means even simple machines were powered by man (or woman). What problems could come from relying on manpower for producing cloth?

Now look at the machines that were invented. Once they were put in factories, they were powered by water, and later steam. How could this have improved the production of cloth?

Why were early factories built on rivers?



The Steam Engine 
1785 James Watt invents the steam engine.
›more efficient
›factories built away from the river
›source of power is more mobile
›Steam engines were put on boats (steamboats).  This allowed boats to go up rivers that were previously unnavigable. 

Why is steam a better source of power than water?

Coal Mining - 
Coal mining had been a poor man's job before the industrial revolution.  In 1800 Henry Cort  invented the puddling process.  This process makes it possible for coal to be used as the primary fuel in the new iron industry.    Larger factory districts appear which manufacture iron at low prices and that can easily be transported by canals.
By 1815 coal was used in home-heating, fuel for the steam engines and in the production of iron. 
Although in the 1700’s coal miners were adults who worked in the winter to supplement their wages, in the 1800’s they are typically children between the ages of 8 and 14.  The work was dangerous and unhealthy.  Children become victims of black lung, explosions, & accidents.  Their growth is stunted as they spend their 14 hour day stooped over.  They are malnourished and unable to exercise or eat properly.

What sort of health issues did child coal miners have?

1820s first railroads are invented.

By the early 1800s the existing canals and dirt roads could not accommodate the heavy industrial traffic.  
New experiments with transportation using the power of a steam engine were tried.  The most successful appears to be a steam engine that pulls a series of wagons or cars on an iron track.  

Railroads connected factories, provided quicker transportation of goods and people, and eventually changed society and industry. 

How did railroads change the transportation of goods?

How did railroads change the movement of people?

Factory Hours

People worked very long hours when demand was high – as much as 16 / 18 hours a day, seven days a week.

How many hours does a factory worker work on average in the 1850's?

10.

Describe the trend of work hours vs free time comparing the different time periods on the chart.

Factory Wages in Lancashire, 1830
Factory Wages
Factory owners became very rich.  The first millionaire was Richard Arkwright, inventor of the water frame.
Other entreprenuer's would soon invest in factories and become rich too.
People moved to cities for these new job opportunities.  Even though they the working conditions were initially poor, the workers were making more money than and had more opportnities than they would have in the countryside.
Wages were low –It was mostly women and children who worked in early factories because the work was not physically demanding and they could be paid less. 
Many men, anyway, were working at home at the loom which was not superseded by factory machinery until after 1800.

11.

Who made more money working in factories men or women?

12.

Why would men make more money in their 20s and 30s compared to women?

Factory Life
the atmosphere in many factories was hot and damp (in mills this was encouraged to help the spun cotton to hold together), stuffy, noisy and full of steam, fumes and dust.
Machinery was dangerous and accidents common.
 Sanitation was limited and yet as many as 500 or more could be working in one factory.
 Discipline was strict, to ensure co-operation in poor conditions and to maximize profits – workers were fined if late or if ‘time-wasting’ (talking, using the lavatory other than when told, etc), they were beaten sometimes, especially children, and could not complain for fear of ‘the sack’

13.

Describe the healthy problems that people faced in factories.

Tenement Housing 

Cities were initially overwhelmed with workers coming from the countryside.  Many of them had been displaced by the Agricultural Revolution.  
In order to ease the housing crisis, some factory owners built housing for their employees.  These were called tenements.  Here dozens of families reside under one roof.  


By the late 1700s cities were growing.  Stores, pubs and churches were being built to support the growing city populations.  
A limited amount of schools existed for  families wealthy enough to send their children (boys) to school.

14.

What are some good things about tenement living?

15.

What are some bad things about tenement living?

16.

Factory Cities
You get to create your own factory city.
Draw 1 river.
Draw 2 coal mines.
Draw 2 factories on the river.
Draw 2 factories off of the river add steam to them to show they are steam powered.
Draw roads connecting your factories to your town.
In your town, draw 6 tenements.
Draw 2 nice middle class houses.
Draw 2 pubs (label it)
Draw 2 churches (label them)
Draw 1 school.
Draw 1 cemetary.
Draw 1 jail
Draw 1 theater
Draw roads to connect your city.

Now add people to your town. At least 10 workers and 1 factory owner and 1 overseer.