Overview
This lecture covers the causes, effects, and main developments of the Industrial and Agricultural Revolutions, including key figures, technological innovations, and broad social and economic impacts in Britain and beyond.
The Industrial Revolution: Definition and Causes
- The Industrial Revolution began in Britain in the 1800s, marked by the use of machines and new power sources in manufacturing.
- Major causes include the rise of capitalism, European imperialism, the Agricultural Revolution, natural resources, and a growing workforce.
- Government policies, technological innovation, and expansion of railroads contributed to rapid industrialization.
- The transition from cottage industries to factory-based production revolutionized economic processes.
Positive and Negative Effects of Industrialization
- Positive effects: improved wages and working conditions, economic growth, mechanization of agriculture, and better communication/transportation.
- Other positives included increased wealth, healthier diets, improved housing, cheaper goods, and rising education levels.
- Negative effects: poor working and living conditions, low wages, child and women labor, and increased pollution.
- Urbanization grew with the expansion of factories, often worsening pollution in cities.
The Agricultural Revolution: Developments and Impacts
- New farming techniques and selective breeding increased food production and population health.
- The Enclosure Movement forced many small farmers to migrate to cities for work.
- Major innovations included the seed drill, crop rotation, and drainage improvements.
- The Agricultural Revolution supported the Industrial one by providing labor and increased food supplies.
- Negative effects included soil, air, and water pollution and loss of common land.
Key Innovations and Figures
- Important inventions: steam engine (James Watt), water-powered loom (Richard Arkwright), and blast furnaces for steel.
- Notable scientists:
- Isaac Newton (laws of motion, gravity, calculus)
- Antoine Lavoisier (composition of air and water, modern chemistry)
- John Dalton (atomic theory, color blindness)
- Michael Faraday (electric dynamo, electricity/magnetism)
- Charles Darwin (theory of evolution by natural selection)
- New communication systems included the telegraph; railways revolutionized transport.
Social and Economic Changes
- The middle class and entrepreneurs gained wealth and power, while the working class grew without equal benefit.
- The Factory Act of 1833 limited child labor.
- Laissez-faire capitalism (Adam Smith) advocated minimal government interference in business.
- Socialists and communists like Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels called for worker-controlled production.
The Age of Revolution: Broader Context
- The period from 1775-1848 saw major political, social, economic, and technological revolutions, including the American, French, and Haitian revolutions.
- Mass production and the growth of cities characterized this era.
The Caribbean and the Industrial/Agricultural Revolutions
- The Caribbean's sugar economy shifted from small farms to large plantations with slave labor during the "Sugar Revolution."
- These changes led to demographic and economic transformations.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Industrial Revolution — Shift to machine-based manufacturing and new energy sources in the 1800s.
- Cottage Industry — Small-scale home-based production of goods.
- Capitalism — Private ownership of production means, profit motive, and market competition.
- Enclosure Movement — Consolidation of land, displacing small farmers.
- Urbanization — Growth of cities due to industrial job opportunities.
- Laissez-faire — Economic theory advocating minimal government intervention.
- Proletariat — Working class in industrial society.
- Bourgeoisie — Middle/upper class owning production means.
- Agricultural Revolution — 18th-century innovations increasing food output and supporting industrialization.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review key innovations and scientists' contributions.
- Revise the positive and negative impacts of both revolutions.
- Prepare definitions for all key terms listed.
- Study the causes and broader context of revolutions in Britain and the Caribbean.