The Industrial Revolution: What is it and how did it start?

The Industrial Revolution:
What is it and how did it start?
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The Industrial Revolution: What is it and how did it start?
The Two Phases of the Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution may be divided into two phases: the First Industrial Revolution which happened in 1760 to 1830 and the Second Industrial Revolution which occurred in the 19th and 20th centuries. For the purpose of this paper, we will cover only the First Industrial Revolution which was largely confined in Britain.[ADDIN Mendeley Citation{01dea287-1aa1-448d-ab49-a5ba784801cc} CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "author" : [ { "family" : "Encyclopedia Britannica", "given" : "" } ], "container-title" : "Encyclop\u00e6dia Britannica Online Academic Edition", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2011" ] ] }, "title" : "Industrial Revolution", "type" : "entry-encyclopedia" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=01dea287-1aa1-448d-ab49-a5ba784801cc" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "Encyclopedia Britannica, \u201cIndustrial Revolution.\u201d" }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" } Encyclopedia Britannica, "Industrial Revolution."]
What was the industrial revolution?
The industrial revolution marks the period of social and economic chance from "a stable agricultural and commercial society to a modern industrial society relying on complex machinery rather than tools. It started in England in the 18th century and has spread to other parts of the world.[ADDIN Mendeley Citation{ec45c4f6-71e6-4153-aa3e-5f110eef6476} CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "URL" : "/topics/industrial-revolution", "accessed" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2011", "10", "25" ] ] }, "author" : [ { "family" : "History.com", "given" : "" } ], "container-title" : "History.com", "id" : "ITEM-1", "title" : "Industrial Revolution", "type" : "webpage" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=ec45c4f6-71e6-4153-aa3e-5f110eef6476" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "History.com, \u201cIndustrial Revolution.\u201d" }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" } History.com, "Industrial Revolution."]
While the term "revolution" connotes a "sudden, violent and unaparalleled change" the changes brought about the Industrial Revolution was gradual. The changes it made in the social and economic structure of England were nonetheless, dramatic. The term "industrial revolution" was popularized by Arnold Toynbee and which he described as the period when the old economic structure was "suddenly broken to pieces by the mighty blows of the steam engine and the power loom." The Industrial Revolution occurred between 1760 to 1840 but there are researches which claim that it could`ve occurred earlier in the 16th and 17th centuries and later towards the 19th century.[ADDIN Mendeley Citation{2611330c-5368-4cd6-9d15-c6fc1bf6111d} CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "author" : [ { "family" : "The Columbia Encyclopedia", "given" : "" } ], "container-title" : "The Columbia Encyclopedia", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2008" ] ] }, "title" : "Industrial Revolution", "type" : "entry-encyclopedia" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=2611330c-5368-4cd6-9d15-c6fc1bf6111d" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "The Columbia Encyclopedia, \u201cIndustrial Revolution.\u201d" }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" } The Columbia Encyclopedia, "Industrial Revolution."] [Toynbee in ADDIN Mendeley Citation{08c9172e-436f-4474-8458-52b6cb6fb066} CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "author" : [ { "family" : "Stobart", "given" : "Jon" } ], "container-title" : "The Dictionary of Human Geography", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2009" ] ] }, "publisher" : "Blackwell Publishing Ltd.", "title" : "Industrial Revolution", "type" : "entry-encyclopedia" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=08c9172e-436f-4474-8458-52b6cb6fb066" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "Stobart, \u201cIndustrial Revolution.\u201d" }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" } Stobart, "Industrial Revolution."] [ADDIN Mendeley Citation{01dea287-1aa1-448d-ab49-a5ba784801cc} CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "author" : [ { "family" : "Encyclopedia Britannica", "given" : "" } ], "container-title" : "Encyclop\u00e6dia Britannica Online Academic Edition", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2011" ] ] }, "title" : "Industrial Revolution", "type" : "entry-encyclopedia" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=01dea287-1aa1-448d-ab49-a5ba784801cc" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "Encyclopedia Britannica, \u201cIndustrial Revolution.\u201d" }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" } Encyclopedia Britannica, "Industrial Revolution."]
The Main Features of the First Industrial Revolution
According to the Britannica Encyclopedia mentions three main features of the industrial revolution: technological, socioeconomic and cultural. Technological changes involved the use of new raw materials, new source of fuel, the invention of new machines and the creation of, among many others. Iron and steel became basic materials and produce while electricity, steam and petroleum were used as fuels for the new machines invented during this time. The discovery of the steam and internal combustion engine has led to breakthroughs not only in production but also in transportation. Meanwhile, the creation of the spinning jenny during the first phase of the Revolution has allowed the English to increase their production while using the same amount of energy and resources. No longer did man use hand tool to create his craft. Instead, workers became machine operators.[ADDIN Mendeley Citation{01dea287-1aa1-448d-ab49-a5ba784801cc} CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "author" : [ { "family" : "Encyclopedia Britannica", "given" : "" } ], "container-title" : "Encyclop\u00e6dia Britannica Online Academic Edition", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2011" ] ] }, "title" : "Industrial Revolution", "type" : "entry-encyclopedia" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=01dea287-1aa1-448d-ab49-a5ba784801cc" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "Ibid." }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" } Ibid.]
One unique feature that sets the economic system created during the Industrial Revolution apart from the others is the development of a new work organization known as the factory system. This system entailed a division of labor and specialized functions. Workers specialized in the creation of one part of a product, for example, in a clock factory, one worker had to create the hands of the clock and another one is tasked at installing them. Because of this, workers became masters of their craft so that they are able to produce more in just one day. Aside from this, factories now purchased input from other companies - a clock company bought steel or iron from another company which mines (or refines) this material.[ADDIN Mendeley Citation{01dea287-1aa1-448d-ab49-a5ba784801cc} CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "author" : [ { "family" : "Encyclopedia Britannica", "given" : "" } ], "container-title" : "Encyclop\u00e6dia Britannica Online Academic Edition", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2011" ] ] }, "title" : "Industrial Revolution", "type" : "entry-encyclopedia" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=01dea287-1aa1-448d-ab49-a5ba784801cc" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "Ibid." }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" } Ibid.]
Due to the increased specialization of labor, new sectors of the society were developed. New companies offering transport and communication services. From the steam engine, steam ships were created, hence allowing merchants to sail to other areas at lesser time. From the internal combustion engine, the locomotive was born. With automobiles, people`s mobility was increased so it became easier to travel from one city to another. The invention of the airplane also created a new economy in the travel sector. Meanwhile, the invention of the telegraph and the radio has enabled people from different parts of the globe to communicate more effectively.
As more people realize the importance of technology, the Industrial Revolution has spread all over the world and has led to an increase in the application of science to industry. New mass production techniques were developed and manufacturing firms have learned how to use natural resources for effectively for their production needs. Of all these developments, the Industrial Revolution may be referred to as the precursor to globalization because it enabled global transactions and more efficient international trade through improved capacities for transportation and communication.
Aside from the developments in technology, the Industrial Revolution has also led to changes in the social and cultural sphere. Urbanization, or the movement of people from the rural (typically agricultural) communities to the urban (cities) areas, may be due to the increased opportunity for work. Because of the increasing demand for manufactured goods, more workers are needed. Many of those who were formerly working in the farmlands started to flock to areas with factories. These areas have then transformed into cities where almost any kind of goods or services may be found.[ADDIN Mendeley Citation{01706b4e-72be-433f-a6de-fc62f8d322b4} CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "author" : [ { "family" : "The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy", "given" : "Houghton Mifflin" } ], "container-title" : "The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Houghton Mifflin", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2002" ] ] }, "publisher" : "Houghton Mifflin", "title" : "Industrial Revolution", "type" : "entry-encyclopedia" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=01706b4e-72be-433f-a6de-fc62f8d322b4" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, \u201cIndustrial Revolution.\u201d" }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" } The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, "Industrial Revolution."]
While developments in technology have largely benefitted industries, they have also created positive effects in the agricultural sector. Because of the increasing population in the non-agricultural population, the agricultural sector gave birth to strategies that enabled it to provide food for the larger population in the manufacturing sector. Moreover, land declined as a source of wealth, hence leading to the wider distribution of wealth. This change in the economy has then shifted the orientation of power away from the political. With the development of middle class workers, a new type of authority was born. Economic power, power that was based on how much resources a person owns, has led to new state policies as response to the changing needs of the industrialized society.
Why Did the Industrial Revolution Begin in England?
According to the Columbia Encyclopedia, the numerous discovery voyages by Western Europe in the 15th and 16th industry prepared the way for the Industrial Revolution to come about. The influx of precious metals from the New World (America) stimulated industries and raised prices. The increase in the production as a result of the improved industries led to new developments in technology.
In another account by the ADDIN Mendeley Citation{d580e8f1-1b74-4ad2-89af-8f836f0185fc} CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "author" : [ { "family" : "The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide", "given" : "" } ], "container-title" : "The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2010" ] ] }, "publisher" : "Helicon", "title" : "Industrial Revolution", "type" : "entry-encyclopedia" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=d580e8f1-1b74-4ad2-89af-8f836f0185fc" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "manualFormatting" : "The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia", "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide, \u201cIndustrial Revolution.\u201d" }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" } The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia, it mentioned that the Industrial Revolution can be traced back to the cotton industry. The increasing population brought about a higher demand for clothes, which in turn exerted pressure on the industry to increase its production. In response, James Hargreaves invented the spinning jenny in 1764. The device allowed a worker to spin eight or more spools of yarn at once. Many history books say that it was the invention of the spinning jenny that set off the discovery of new machines that will enable workers to create more output using the same (or sometimes lesser) resources. Note however that a seed drill that freed labor from the fields was already invented in 1701 by Jethro Tull. The drill led to changes to agriculture but the effects were limited to this sector.[ADDIN Mendeley Citation{cd911af3-977d-4334-9b02-17239d486f50} CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "author" : [ { "family" : "The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide", "given" : "" } ], "container-title" : "The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2010" ] ] }, "publisher" : "Helicon", "title" : "Industrial Revolution: key dates", "type" : "entry-encyclopedia" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=cd911af3-977d-4334-9b02-17239d486f50" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide, \u201cIndustrial Revolution: key dates.\u201d" }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" } The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide, "Industrial Revolution: key dates."...