Industrial Revolution - causes

One of the reasons to study history is to identify cause and effect because if we understand the factors that caused something bad to occur...

• we may be better able as a society to avoid it happening it again.

• we'll see the technological revolution continues to affect our lives.

• we can understand why the Industrial Revolution began in Britain.

• coal and iron were necessary raw materials.

The process of industrialisation...

• has raised the standard of living.

• happened everywhere at the same time.

• was not an important period of change.

• did not happen rapidly.

The Industrial Revolution first took off as a result of two developments in technology.

• the invention of new machines and the use of steam power

• most people were engaged in food production in open fields

• new methods of farming and changes in land ownership

• access to raw materials

Two broad changes contributed to the agricultural revolution.

• new methods of farming and changes in land ownership

• more people moved to the cities and worked in mines

• improvements in the quality and quantity of food

• an increase in population but no increase in farm workers

Access to raw materials...

• such as coal was required to drive steam engines, and iron ore to make steel for building factory machinery.

• needed to be located in every British colony.

• developed along with a return to traditional farming methods.

• such as coal was used to make a crunchy summer salad.

Many members of the middle class who were the craftsmen and merchants...

• became very wealthy and funded the growth of factories and business ventures.

• were in the majority in the Middle Ages.

• owned land in medieval Europe and Britain.

• had no spare money.

The transportation of raw materials to factories and of finished products to customers was relatively simple for Britain because...

• Britain is relatively compact and rivers, canals and steam locomotives were very efficient means of transport.

• they used helicopters and 3D printers.

• Britain is a huge continent.

• factories were all close to the sea.

The British colonies in North America, the Caribbean, the Indian subcontinent and West Africa meant that...

• they were able to import raw materials.

• South America and Indonesia were a source of raw materials.

• steam trains could sail all over the world.

• they had to pay the workers in all these places.