THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

1. What was the Industrial Revolution?

The Industrial Revolution 1 was a periodo f profound economic and social changes,
caused by the widespread use of machinery in production.
Agrarian, rural societies were transformed into industrial, urban societies.

2. Where did the Industrial Revolution start?

The Industrial Revolution began in Britain in the second half of 18th century.
 The First Industrial Revolution began around 1760.
 The Second Industrial Revolution began around 1870.

3. Explain the demographic revolution in the 18th century.

The English population in the late 18th century growth because the death rate
decreased and the birth rate continued to be high.
The deathrate decreased for several reasons:
 Nutrition. The population were more resistant to illness because the nutrition
improved, there were advances in agricultura and changes in people’s diets.
Potatoes became a basic food.

 Personal and public higiene. The use of soap was more widespread, and
people began to wear cotton clothes, which were easier to wash. There was
better to clean drinking water, and streets were kept cleaner.

 Public health. In 1796, Edward Jenner discovered the vaccine against

smallpox, a disease with a high mortality rate. New hospitals were built.

 Epidemics, caused fewer deaths due to improved nutrition, higiene and public
health.

Population growth produced increased demand for agricultural and industrial products. It
also meant that more workers were available to fill all the new jobs in factories.
4. Explain the agricultural revolution in the 18th century.
The increased demand for food led to innovations in crop and livestock farming.
Farming techniques. The three-field system of crop rotation, in which one field
always lay fallow, was replaced by the four-field system, also called the Norfolk
system. The land was divided into four fields, which alternated wheat, turnips, barley
and clover. The nutrients in the soil were not used up, as clover helped to replenish
them. In addition, turnips and clover were used to feed livestock. This allowed farmers
to keep more animals, which increased manure, a natural fertiliser, in the fields.

In the late 18th century, the wood plough was replaced by the iron plough. Later, new
farming machines were introduced: mechanical seeders, threshers and harvesters.
Land ownership and use. The liberal revolutionsended the practice of peasants
farming communal lands under the authority of a lord or the Church. Land became
 private property. The bourgeoisie bought farmland in order to profit from selling its
products.

Livestock farming. Part of the land was used to w fodder, or food for livestock. The
number of heads of livestock on each farm increased.

Primary sector production increased in the 18th century. Farmers received greater
income, and were able to sabe money. Some invested their saving sin ndustry or
banking.

5.
Apart from demographic and agricultural growth, other conditions in Britain also
favoured economic growth.
Extensive markets. Britain had a healthy domestic market, based on good
infrastructure and the absence of domestic tariffs. It alsosoldits and the absence of
domestic tarins. It also sold products in its numerous colonies around the were
invested in new industries.
A new mentality e British bourgeoisie was more open to investment, business risk
and the pursuit of profit. Parliament supported these pursuit of profit. Parliament
supported business and trade.

Abundance of iron and coal. The British countryside was rich with iron and coal
deposits which were necessary to build and run the new factories.