Manchester Case Study Instructions and Questions

Identify the issues raised by the growth in Manchester and analyze the various reactions
over the course of the 19th century.

StepOne
:Readthe
Manchesterdocuments
withyourtableandgroupthedocumentsintocategoriesby
determiningthepointofview,reaction,orissueofthedocumenttogroupaccordingtothePOV/reaction/issue
thatisincommonamongdocuments.Writehashtagsthatconnectthisparticulardocumenttolargerthemes
suchasthoseidentifiedbelow(studentscanaddtheirownhashtagsaswellifyouwanttogetcreative).

Collaboratively,groupthedocumentsbasedonthefollowingtopicswithhashtagsasfollows:
a. #Proindustrialization:DocumentsA,B,F,K,H
b. #Publichealth:DocumentsC,D,E,F,G,H
c. #Cityplanning:DocumentsA,F,K,
d. #Moralconcerns:DocumentsC,M,F,E,G
e. #Workingconditions:DocumentsC,J,G,H
f. #Conindustrialization:DocumentsC,D,F,G,M,L
g. #Livingconditions:DocumentsC,D,E,FI,J,H

StepTwo
:Studentswillindividuallyanswerthefollowingreflection/analysisquestionsaboutthedocuments.

1. Basedonthesedocuments,wouldyouwanttoliveinManchesterduringtheIndustrialRevolution?
(
Considerwhatotheroptionsyouwouldhave,andrememberthatyouneedsometypeofworktofeed
andhouseyourfamily.)
A. Makeaclaimthatanswersthequestion.
B. Citespecificevidencefromatleast3differentdocumentsinyourresponse.
C. Explainhowthisevidencesupportsyourposition.

Basedonthesedocuments,IwouldwouldnotwanttoliveinManchesterduringtheIndustrialRevolution.
EvidencefromDocumentsC,G,andJshowsthatManchesterwasaterribleplaceduringtheIndustrialRevolution.
InDocumentC,AlexisdeTocqueville,awealthyandcredibleFrencharistocratdescribesManchester,Asortof
blacksmokecoversthecity.Underthishalfdaylight300,000humanbeingsareceaselessly(withoutanybreak)at
workFromthisfilthysewer,thewealthofEnglandflows.AlthoughhedescribesEnglandasawealthyplace,the
toneandlanguageheusessuggeststhatthepriceofthewealthisnotworthit.Blacksmokemakesupofthecitys
atmosphere,whichmayleadtolungandotherhealthdiseases.Also,manyworkersareexpendableandworked
hardinbadconditionsIwouldhaveanunreliablesourceofincomeatthepriceofbackbreakingworkwithlittle
pay.Manchesterisdescribedasafilthysewer,whichtellsmethatthelivingconditionsmaynothavebeenthe
best.InDocumentJ,FloraTristandescribeshowMostworkerslackclothing,bed,furniture,fuelwholesome
foodevenpotatoes!TheyspendfromtwelvetofourteenhourseachdayshutupinlowWhenpeopleworkedlong
hoursinthefactories,theybreathedtheairthatcontainedbadparticlesbadforthebody.InManchesterpeople
wouldhaveashorterlifespanthanapersonlivinginaruralarea.IndocumentG,itisstatedthat,Youwentone
stepfromthisfoulareaintothecellarwhereafamilyofhumanbeingslived.Itwasverydarkinside.Thewindows
weremostlybrokenandstuffedwithrags,whichwasreasonforthedarknesseventhoughitwasmidday
(
afternoon)
.Inthispassageitislayingstressonthefactthatthesearehumanbeingslivinginthemostterribleof
conditions.Whatdidtheydotodeservelivingconditionsresemblingthatofaprison?Industrializationatfirstwas
clearlyacon.

2. WhataresomeofthewordsandphrasesusedindocumentsforthePROargument?Whataresomeofthe
wordsandphrasesusedinthedocumentsfortheCONargument?

Pleasenameatleastthree(3)foreachsideandcitewhichdocumenteachisfrom.
PROIndustrialization
1.Manchesterontheotherhandisanenormous
manufacturingcenter.(DocumentB)

2.Theexcessivehoursoflaborhavebeenlegally
reducedtotenhoursperday.Wagesthanksmainly
toacceleratedmachineryandimprovedworking
conditionshavelargelyincreased.(DocumentH)

3.Itistotheenergeticexertionsandenterprising
spiritofitspopulationthatManchesterismainly
indebtedtoitselevationasaseatofcommerceand
manufacture...(DocumentK)

CONIndustrialization
1.InthisHelluponEarth,everythingwhichcauseshorror
andangerbelongstotheindustrialera.(DocumentC)

2.andtoseethreeorfourlittlechildrenrollingonthe
damp,wetbrickfloor,whichoozedwiththestagnant
(gross),filthymoistureofthestreet.Thefireplacewas
emptyandblack.Thewifesatonthehusbandslap,and
criedinthedarkloneliness.(DocumentG)

3Imaginethismultitudecrowdedtogetherinnarrow
streets,thehousesbuiltofbrickandblackenedwith
smoke(DocumentI)

3. Chronology
:Asagroup,arrangethesourcesintheorderthattheywerepublished.
1.DocumentA
2.DocumentI
3.DocumentC
4.DocumentF
5.DocumentE
6.DocumentJ
7.DocumentL
8.DocumentG
9.DocumentK
10.DocumentD
11.DocumentH
12.DocumentM
13.DocumentB

Individually,reflectonthefollowing:
Overall,doconditionsinManchesterseemtobedeterioratingorimproving?Howdoyouknow?Cite
evidencefromdocumentspublishedduringdifferenttimeperiodstosupportyourassertions.

Jayde:Overall,theconditionsinManchesterseemtobeimprovinganddeterioratingdependingonsocialclass.
Manynewfactoriesandmanufacturingcenterswerestartedup,Therearenearlyfivehundredcottonspinning
factoriesinandaroundthecity.Theseowneighteenmillionspindles(spinningmachines),morethanonethirdof
allthoseinGreatBritain.Therearechemicalworks(factories)andgreatengineeringfactories(DocumentB).With
allthesefactories,morejobopportunitiesarecreated,whichmeansmoreincomeforalotofpeople.Also,The
HoursofLaborinFactoriesAct,passedin1844,workedathroughreform.Theexcessivehoursoflaborhavebeen
legallyreducedtotenhoursperday.Wagesthanksmainlytoacceleratedmachineryandimprovedworking
conditionshavelargelyincreased(DocumentH).Lawsarereformingthelivesofpeopleandgivingworkers
rights.Theirliveshavebecomeincreasinglybetterwithmoremoneyatlesshours.Ontheotherhand,
Manchestersenvironmentisnotdoingsowell.Thefactorieshavesprungupalongtherivers.Thehomesofthe
workpeoplehavebeenbuiltinthefactorydistricts.Theinterestsofthemanufacturershavedeterminedthegrowth
ofthetown,whilethecomfort,health,andhappinessoftheworkershavenotbeenconsidered.Everyadvantage
hasbeensacrificedtothegettingofmoney(DocumentF).Thisshowsthatalthoughthelivesofthemerchantsand
businessownershavebeenimproving,Manchestersriversandnaturalresourcesarebeingoverlyexploitedfor
onlymoney.HumanityandtheEartharenotbeingthoughtabout,aslongastheresmoneytobeearned.
Manchestersconditionsareimprovingforsome,butformany,theconditionsareactuallydeteriorating.

BenTheoverallconditionsinManchesterseemtobeimprovingovertimewiththecomingofnewlawsandoverall
ethicalimprovement.Ajournalist/historianwrote,Theexcessivehoursoflaborhavebeenlegallyreducedtoten
hoursperday.Wagesthanksmainlytoacceleratedmachineryandimprovedworkingconditionshavelargely
increased.Thisisepitomizingtheaccelerationofabettermoreindustrializedlifestyle.Ithasitsclearbenefits,
buttheroadtogettothispointwastreacherousandawful.IntheenditisworthitbecauseManchesterandits
inhabitantswillbehappyforalongtime,butalltheyhadtotradewasafewroughyears.Manchesterlostitsfair
shareofgooddays,butinreturnwasgivenmanybettertomorrows.

DianaOverall,theconditionsinManchesterwereimproving.TheFactoriesActshowedimprovementforbetter
workingconditions....passedin1844,workedathroughreform.Theexcessivehoursoflaborhavebeenlegally
reducedtotenhoursperday.Wagesthanksmainlytoacceleratedmachineryandimprovedworking
conditionshavelargelyincreased(DocumentH).AlthoughthereweresomebadthingsinManchestersuchasa
lotofPollution,itwasasymbolofcivilization,leadingthemarchofimprovement,agrandincarnation(
proof)
of
progress"(DocumentF).