industrial revolution summary essay

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Industrial Revolution

By: History.com Editors

Updated: March 27, 2023 | Original: October 29, 2009

The Industrial Revolution was a period of scientific and technological development in the 18th century that transformed largely rural, agrarian societies—especially in Europe and North America—into industrialized, urban ones. Goods that had once been painstakingly crafted by hand started to be produced in mass quantities by machines in factories, thanks to the introduction of new machines and techniques in textiles, iron making and other industries.

When Was the Industrial Revolution?

Though a few innovations were developed as early as the 1700s, the Industrial Revolution began in earnest by the 1830s and 1840s in Britain, and soon spread to the rest of the world, including the United States.

Modern historians often refer to this period as the First Industrial Revolution, to set it apart from a second period of industrialization that took place from the late 19th to early 20th centuries and saw rapid advances in the steel, electric and automobile industries. 

Spinning Jenny

Thanks in part to its damp climate, ideal for raising sheep, Britain had a long history of producing textiles like wool, linen and cotton. But prior to the Industrial Revolution, the British textile business was a true “cottage industry,” with the work performed in small workshops or even homes by individual spinners, weavers and dyers.

Starting in the mid-18th century, innovations like the spinning jenny (a wooden frame with multiple spindles), the flying shuttle, the water frame and the power loom made weaving cloth and spinning yarn and thread much easier. Producing cloth became faster and required less time and far less human labor.

More efficient, mechanized production meant Britain’s new textile factories could meet the growing demand for cloth both at home and abroad, where the British Empire’s many overseas colonies provided a captive market for its goods. In addition to textiles, the British iron industry also adopted new innovations.

Chief among the new techniques was the smelting of iron ore with coke (a material made by heating coal) instead of the traditional charcoal. This method was both cheaper and produced higher-quality material, enabling Britain’s iron and steel production to expand in response to demand created by the Napoleonic Wars (1803-15) and the later growth of the railroad industry. 

Impact of Steam Power 

An icon of the Industrial Revolution broke onto the scene in the early 1700s, when Thomas Newcomen designed the prototype for the first modern steam engine . Called the “atmospheric steam engine,” Newcomen’s invention was originally applied to power the machines used to pump water out of mine shafts.

In the 1760s, Scottish engineer James Watt began tinkering with one of Newcomen’s models, adding a separate water condenser that made it far more efficient. Watt later collaborated with Matthew Boulton to invent a steam engine with a rotary motion, a key innovation that would allow steam power to spread across British industries, including flour, paper, and cotton mills, iron works, distilleries, waterworks and canals.

Just as steam engines needed coal, steam power allowed miners to go deeper and extract more of this relatively cheap energy source. The demand for coal skyrocketed throughout the Industrial Revolution and beyond, as it would be needed to run not only the factories used to produce manufactured goods, but also the railroads and steamships used for transporting them.

Transportation During the Industrial Revolution

Britain’s road network, which had been relatively primitive prior to industrialization, soon saw substantial improvements, and more than 2,000 miles of canals were in use across Britain by 1815.

In the early 1800s, Richard Trevithick debuted a steam-powered locomotive, and in 1830 similar locomotives started transporting freight (and passengers) between the industrial hubs of Manchester and Liverpool. By that time, steam-powered boats and ships were already in wide use, carrying goods along Britain’s rivers and canals as well as across the Atlantic.

Banking and Communication in the Industrial Revolution

In 1776, Scottish social philosopher Adam Smith , who is regarded as the founder of modern economics, published The Wealth of Nations . In it, Smith promoted an economic system based on free enterprise, the private ownership of means of production, and lack of government interference.

Banks and industrial financiers soon rose to new prominence during this period, as well as a factory system dependent on owners and managers. A stock exchange was established in London in the 1770s; the New York Stock Exchange was founded in the early 1790s.

The latter part of the Industrial Revolution also saw key advances in communication methods, as people increasingly saw the need to communicate efficiently over long distances. In 1837, British inventors William Cooke and Charles Wheatstone patented the first commercial telegraphy system, even as Samuel Morse and other inventors worked on their own versions in the United States.

Cooke and Wheatstone’s system would be used for railroad signaling, as the speed of the new steam-powered trains created a need for more sophisticated means of communication.

Labor Movement 

Though many people in Britain had begun moving to the cities from rural areas before the Industrial Revolution, this process accelerated dramatically with industrialization, as the rise of large factories turned smaller towns into major cities over the span of decades. This rapid urbanization brought significant challenges, as overcrowded cities suffered from pollution, inadequate sanitation, miserable housing conditions and a lack of safe drinking water.

Meanwhile, even as industrialization increased economic output overall and improved the standard of living for the middle and upper classes, poor and working class people continued to struggle. The mechanization of labor created by technological innovation had made working in factories increasingly tedious (and sometimes dangerous), and many workers—including children—were forced to work long hours for pitifully low wages.

Such dramatic changes and abuses fueled opposition to industrialization worldwide, including the “ Luddites ,” known for their violent resistance to changes in Britain’s textile industry.

Did you know? The word "luddite" refers to a person who is opposed to technological change. The term is derived from a group of early 19th century English workers who attacked factories and destroyed machinery as a means of protest. They were supposedly led by a man named Ned Ludd, though he may have been an apocryphal figure.

In the decades to come, outrage over substandard working and living conditions would fuel the formation of labor unions , as well as the passage of new child labor laws and public health regulations in both Britain and the United States, all aimed at improving life for working class and poor citizens who had been negatively impacted by industrialization.

The Industrial Revolution in the United States

The beginning of industrialization in the United States is usually pegged to the opening of a textile mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in 1793 by the recent English immigrant Samuel Slater. Slater had worked at one of the mills opened by Richard Arkwright (inventor of the water frame) mills, and despite laws prohibiting the emigration of textile workers, he brought Arkwright’s designs across the Atlantic. He later built several other cotton mills in New England, and became known as the “Father of the American Industrial Revolution.”

The United States followed its own path to industrialization, spurred by innovations “borrowed” from Britain as well as by homegrown inventors like Eli Whitney . Whitney’s 1793 invention of the cotton gin (short for “engine”) revolutionized the nation’s cotton industry (and strengthened the hold of slavery over the cotton-producing South).

By the end of the 19th century, with the so-called Second Industrial Revolution underway, the United States would also transition from a largely agrarian society to an increasingly urbanized one, with all the attendant problems.

By the mid-19th century, industrialization was well-established throughout the western part of Europe and America’s northeastern region. By the early 20th century, the U.S. had become the world’s leading industrial nation.

Effects of the Industrial Revolution

Historians continue to debate many aspects of industrialization, including its exact timeline, why it began in Britain as opposed to other parts of the world and the idea that it was actually more of a gradual evolution than a revolution. The positives and negatives of the Industrial Revolution are complex.

On one hand, unsafe working conditions were rife and environmental pollution from coal and gas are legacies we still struggle with today. On the other, the move to cities and ingenious inventions that made clothing, communication and transportation more affordable and accessible to the masses changed the course of world history.

Regardless of these questions, the Industrial Revolution had a transformative economic, social and cultural impact, and played an integral role in laying the foundations for modern society. 

Photo Galleries

Robert C. Allen, The Industrial Revolution: A Very Short Introduction . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007  Claire Hopley, “A History of the British Cotton Industry.” British Heritage Travel , July 29, 2006 William Rosen, The Most Powerful Idea in the World: A Story of Steam, Industry, and Invention . New York: Random House, 2010 Gavin Weightman, The Industrial Revolutionaries: The Making of the Modern World, 1776-1914 . New York: Grove Press, 2007 Matthew White, “Georgian Britain: The Industrial Revolution.” British Library , October 14, 2009 

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Descriptive Essay: The Industrial Revolution and its Effects

The Industrial Revolution was a time of great age throughout the world. It represented major change from 1760 to the period 1820-1840. The movement originated in Great Britain and affected everything from industrial manufacturing processes to the daily life of the average citizen. I will discuss the Industrial Revolution and the effects it had on the world as a whole.

The primary industry of the time was the textiles industry. It had the most employees, output value, and invested capital. It was the first to take on new modern production methods. The transition to machine power drastically increased productivity and efficiency. This extended to iron production and chemical production.

It started in Great Britain and soon expanded into Western Europe and to the United States. The actual effects of the revolution on different sections of society differed. They manifested themselves at different times. The ‘trickle down’ effect whereby the benefits of the revolution helped the lower classes didn’t happen until towards the 1830s and 1840s. Initially, machines like the Watt Steam Engine and the Spinning Jenny only benefited the rich industrialists.

The effects on the general population, when they did come, were major. Prior to the revolution, most cotton spinning was done with a wheel in the home. These advances allowed families to increase their productivity and output. It gave them more disposable income and enabled them to facilitate the growth of a larger consumer goods market. The lower classes were able to spend. For the first time in history, the masses had a sustained growth in living standards.

Social historians noted the change in where people lived. Industrialists wanted more workers and the new technology largely confined itself to large factories in the cities. Thousands of people who lived in the countryside migrated to the cities permanently. It led to the growth of cities across the world, including London, Manchester, and Boston. The permanent shift from rural living to city living has endured to the present day.

Trade between nations increased as they often had massive surpluses of consumer goods they couldn’t sell in the domestic market. The rate of trade increased and made nations like Great Britain and the United States richer than ever before. Naturally, this translated to military power and the ability to sustain worldwide trade networks and colonies.

On the other hand, the Industrial Revolution and migration led to the mass exploitation of workers and slums. To counter this, workers formed trade unions. They fought back against employers to win rights for themselves and their families. The formation of trade unions and the collective unity of workers across industries are still existent today. It was the first time workers could make demands of their employers. It enfranchised them and gave them rights to upset the status quo and force employers to view their workers as human beings like them.

Overall, the Industrial Revolution was one of the single biggest events in human history. It launched the modern age and drove industrial technology forward at a faster rate than ever before. Even contemporary economics experts failed to predict the extent of the revolution and its effects on world history. It shows why the Industrial Revolution played such a vital role in the building of the United States of today.

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Big History Project

Course: big history project   >   unit 9.

• ACTIVITY: The Appetite for Energy
• ACTIVITY: Unit 9 Vocab Tracking
• ACTIVITY: DQ Notebook 9.1
• WATCH: Coal, Steam, and the Industrial Revolution

READ: The Industrial Revolution

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Fossil Fuels, Steam Power, and the Rise of Manufacturing

The transformation of the world, early steam engines, why britain.

• Shortage of wood and the abundance of convenient coal deposits
• Commercial-minded aristocracy; limited monarchy
• System of free enterprise; limited government involvement
• Government support for commercial projects, for a strong navy to protect ships
• Cheap cotton produced by slaves in North America
• High literacy rates
• Rule of law; protection of assets
• Valuable immigrants (Dutch, Jews, Huguenots [French Protestants])
• Location of China’s coal, which was in the north, while economic activity was centered in the south
• Rapid growth of population in China, giving less incentive for machines and more for labor-intensive methods
• Confucian ideals that valued stability and frowned upon experimentation and change
• Lack of Chinese government support for maritime explorations, thinking its empire seemed large enough to provide everything needed
• China’s focus on defending self from nomadic attacks from the north and west
• Britain’s location on the Atlantic Ocean
• British colonies in North America, which provided land, labor, and markets
• Silver from the Americas, used in trade with China
• Social and ideological conditions in Britain, and new thoughts about the economy, that encouraged an entrepreneurial spirit

The Spread of the Industrial Revolution

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Home — Essay Samples — History — History of the United States — Industrial Revolution

Essays on Industrial Revolution

Industrial revolution essay topics and outline examples, essay title 1: the industrial revolution: catalyst for economic transformation and social change.

Thesis Statement: This essay explores the Industrial Revolution as a pivotal period in history, analyzing its role as a catalyst for economic transformation, technological innovation, and significant societal changes in labor, urbanization, and living conditions.

• Introduction
• The Emergence of Industrialization: Transition from Agrarian to Industrial Society
• Technological Advancements: Inventions and Their Impact on Production
• Factory System and Labor: The Changing Nature of Work
• Urbanization and Its Consequences: The Growth of Industrial Cities
• Social Reforms and Challenges: Responses to Inequities and Labor Conditions
• Legacy of the Industrial Revolution: Long-Term Effects on Modern Society

Essay Title 2: The Dark Side of Progress: Environmental Consequences and Labor Exploitation during the Industrial Revolution

Thesis Statement: This essay critically examines the Industrial Revolution, shedding light on its environmental consequences, the exploitation of laborers, and the ethical dilemmas that arose as a result of rapid industrialization.

• Environmental Impact: Pollution, Deforestation, and Resource Depletion
• Factory Conditions and Child Labor: The Human Cost of Industrialization
• Ethical Considerations: Debates on Economic Gain vs. Social Welfare
• Worker Movements and Labor Reforms: Struggles for Workers' Rights
• The Industrial Revolution and Globalization: Impact Beyond Borders
• Reevaluating Progress: Lessons for Sustainable Development

Essay Title 3: The Industrial Revolution and Its Influence on Modern Economic Systems and Technological Advancements

Thesis Statement: This essay analyzes the profound influence of the Industrial Revolution on contemporary economic systems, technological innovations, and the enduring legacy of industrialization in shaping our modern world.

• Capitalism and Industrialization: The Birth of Modern Economic Systems
• Technological Breakthroughs: The Impact of the Steam Engine, Textile Industry, and More
• The Role of Industrial Giants: Key Figures and Their Contributions
• Globalization and Trade Networks: Connecting Continents and Markets
• Innovation and the Information Age: Tracing Technological Progress
• Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities: Navigating the Post-Industrial World

Prompt Examples for Industrial Revolution Essays

The impact of industrialization on society.

Examine the social consequences of the Industrial Revolution. How did the shift from agrarian economies to industrialized societies affect the lives of individuals, families, and communities? Discuss changes in work, living conditions, and social structures.

The Role of Technological Advancements

Analyze the technological innovations that drove the Industrial Revolution. Explore the inventions and advancements in industry, transportation, and communication that transformed economies and societies. Discuss their significance and long-term effects.

Economic Transformation and Capitalism

Discuss the economic aspects of the Industrial Revolution. How did the rise of industrial capitalism reshape economic systems and create new opportunities and challenges for businesses and workers? Analyze the growth of factories, trade, and global markets.

Labor Movements and Workers' Rights

Examine the emergence of labor movements and workers' rights during the Industrial Revolution. Discuss the conditions and struggles faced by laborers and the efforts to improve working conditions, wages, and labor laws. Explore the role of unions and collective action.

Urbanization and the Growth of Cities

Explore the process of urbanization and the rapid growth of cities during the Industrial Revolution. Discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by urban life, including issues of overcrowding, sanitation, and social inequality.

Environmental Impacts and Sustainability

Analyze the environmental impacts of industrialization. How did the Industrial Revolution contribute to pollution, resource depletion, and environmental degradation? Discuss the early awareness of these issues and the emergence of sustainability concerns.

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1733 - 1913

The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain in the mid-18th century. The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States. The beginning of industrialization in the United States is started with the opening of a textile mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in 1793 by Samuel Slater.

There was a few reasons of the beginning of Industrial Revolution: shortage of wood and the abundance of convenient coal deposits; high literacy rates; cheap cotton produced by slaves in North America; system of free enterprise.

Samuel Slater is most associated with starting up the textiles industry in the U.S. An early English-American industrialist known as the "Father of the American Industrial Revolution" and the "Father of the American Factory System". He opened a textile mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in 1793.

There were many improvements in technology and manufacturing fundamentals that improved overall production and economic growth in the United States. Several great American inventions affected manufacturing, communications, transportation, and commercial agriculture.

The Industrial Revolution resulted in greater wealth and a larger population in Europe as well as in the United States. From 1700 to 1900, there was huge migration of people living in villages to moving into towns and cities for work. The Industrial Revolution marked a major turning point in history. During the Industrial Revolution, environmental pollution increased.

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Industrial Revolution Summary, Essay Example

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How did the Industrial Revolution change and redefine the world? First, by being more than one revolution. It was a series of revolutions, beginning in the 18 th century in England, and spreading throughout the world. It continues today, although its first phase, in which mass industrialization and then mass unemployment were invented, is generally agreed to have ended in the 19 th century. The industrial revolutions were and remain about harnessing power in new ways, and putting that power first to use manufacturing old things in new ways, and then new things in new ways. In the beginning, those old and new things, produced in greater and greater abundance and lower and lower costs, were transported further and faster in new ways at lower costs, right along with the growing population that made, bought, and used them. New ways of raising capital to finance these improvements had to be devised. New markets were created in the process from the start, and new wealth followed. All these changes were dependent on and resulted in a new kind of politics based on an expanded franchise fueled by earnings and rage.

As mentioned, it all began in England, and there initially were at least seven productive forces at work: coal, iron, steel, steam power, water power, canals, and railroads (but not electricity or internal combustion, which may be thought of as initiating the second phase of industrialization). From the start, industrialization was uneven. The south of England, for example, lost ground to the north (and to this day historians debate exactly why). 

The textile industry is one of the first places these seven forces first came into play commercially, taking advantage of the role of simple spinning and later weaving, through various technical improvements, such as in carding. Textile mills were initially powered by water, and so were built adjacent to streams. Englishman Samuel Slater (1768–1835), realizing a huge new market, memorized much of the technology of England’s textile mills and then relocated to the newly formed U.S. giving it the means to catch up with England (where Slater became known as Traitor Slater ). He built the first paternalistic company towns in America and died a millionaire. With the invention of the Bessemer and open-hearth steelmaking processes that cheapened the price of steel while improving its quality, the first phase of the Industrial Revolution, some historians agree, came to an end. By then it had spread to continental Europe, first to Belgium (with a coal-based industrial heritage dating to the Middle Ages); and France and Germany, both of which, due to their inherent political and social conservatism, were initially slower to develop than England and the U.S. Germany especially, however, did catch up, particularly in the area of chemicals, starting with its aniline dye industry.

Cities were essential in the industrial revolutions, because industry depended on capital, and capital is generated in cities and intercity trade and nowhere else. Not even landed estates can match city capital. This may be one reason southern England lagged behind northern England, as it is theorized that extensive landholdings which supported blood sports and their attendant conservative culture, retarded industrial development that not even the existence of London could overcome. Eventually, as in the case of Birmingham and Manchester, basically two different kinds of cities developed: creative ones and company towns. Birmingham, where some argue the Industrial Revolution began, was a creative city, a “bundle of oddments” in the words of the late urbanologist Jane Jacobs in her book The Economy of Cities . In reviewing the rise and fall of “efficient” Manchester, she described how, towards the end of the 19 th century, Manchester deteriorated because it was too orderly, lacking the organizational flexibility to be competitive. In short, it became a complex of machines that could each only produce one thing. In contrast, Birmingham was outwardly disorganized and “inefficient” with many diverse businesses. Because of its more complex, chaotic patterns of manufacturing, Birmingham was better able to adjust to changing circumstances than Manchester, and continues to thrive and to have a higher quality of life to this day. This pattern carried over to the rest of the world.  In the U.S., Pittsburgh, Detroit, Rochester, and Slater’s former mill towns of the northeast are examples of places that invested too heavily in one form of work to keep pace with changing markets.

The role of dynamic cities explains why places like Russia and the rest of Asia were slow to industrialize (with the notable and telling exception of Japan), and why some other areas, such as parts of Africa, remain non-industrialized today. Instead, these areas were either colonized or bypassed to become, in many cases, the dystopic and dependent states they are today.

Cities incubated the Industrial Revolution by providing the capital and often the cheap labor. But, as in the case of textiles, the manufacturing and labor went to where the power source was. In the beginning that was water, but later electricity supplanted that. This gave rise to the phenomenon of what is today called outsourcing. We associate that word with the moving of jobs overseas, but in the beginning, the movement was internal. For example, after the American Civil War, the northeast’s textile manufacturing began moving (or at least expanding) into the American south, where even cheaper labor was to be had. Although initially this did not cause problems, eventually New England, once the most industrialized area in the U.S., began to decay. These kinds of changes were also partly responsible for the phenomenon of mass unemployment, which was a part of industrialization from the start, as mills and factories could and did suddenly go out of business as a result of competition or bad luck, or a general or regional depression or market panic. Although these episodes could be brutal and involved a good deal of social and economic dislocation, by contrast nothing could equal the force of a natural economic disaster like the potato famine in Ireland, a country that, lacking robust intercity trade and its attendant capital-creation, remained relatively non-industrialized throughout the 19th centuries, so much so that it even lacked the harbor, docking, and road infrastructure to enable it to distribute what little famine aid was available for it from England.

In both England and the U.S., industrialization brought political changes, as a new class of people began to get very rich. Others got poor. Again, in the U.S., industrialization probably made the Civil War inevitable. The South was agricultural and detested the North’s insistence on high tariffs. Tariffs effectively picked the South’s pocket, because it used its cotton and tobacco exports to buy manufactured goods in England and Europe. Those good were then taxed upon being brought to the U.S., and the economics of antebellum agriculture were so thin that bringing back cash alone would have bankrupted the planters. But throughout the 19 th century, northern American manufacturers couldn’t compete with England and the Continent, either in quality or price, even factoring in transportation costs. Most immigrants to the U.S. came to northern manufacturing states, giving them the political representation in Congress to force high tariffs on the South. After the War, the divide moved from North-South to East-Midwest, as prairie farmers faced ruin due to a gold-based monetary policy that favored creditors. Many of those creditors were in England and Europe, making American manufacturers, who benefited from high tariffs, in debt to foreigners who lent them capital on the assurance that the gold standard would be adhered to. So in spite of the Revolutionary and Civil wars, 19 th century American farmers danced to the tune of overlord powers. (Late 19 th century gold strikes in the Yukon and South Africa eventually alleviated this problem.) The lesson: uneven industrialization heightened natural divisions between regions, especially in larger countries with varied geography.

The industrialization that began in the 18 th century is now over 200 years old. We are now in what historians and social scientists define as the Age of Information. But whatever age we are really in, it remains the same basic industrial revolution: inventing new sources of power.

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Industrial Revolution: Essay & Important Notes

Britain-a center of industrial revolution.

The early industries in Britain were small-scale and unsophisticated. In fact, the textile industry, the most prominent industry in Britain was a “cottage industry.” In the early 1700s, industrial development was very slow because of limited sources of power. Old technologies of power like waterwheels, windmills, and horsepower were the only sources available.

With a large number of spinners, dyers, and weavers in England, the country became the center of the industrial revolution.

Innovations in the 18 th and 19 th Centuries

In the mid-eighteenth century, several innovations were made that brought about major changes in the manner in which the industries in England operated. Changes in steam technology and the invention of the steam engine changed how the industry was powered.

The introduction of the steam engine allowed steam power to be used across different industries in Britain including paper, flour, cotton mills, ironworks, distilleries, and waterworks. The use of steam engines improved the quality of metals and also enabled the industries to get the most essential raw material coal quickly and efficiently.

The next big innovation was the power loom that changed the face of the textile industry. The use of power loom enabled the production of cheap and light cloth in a large quantity. Additionally, the availability of constant power allowed the industry to work for longer hours stably to enhance productivity.

Despite the technological advancement, the factories remained places where accidents frequently took place. The factories also employed children and the workers were required to abide by strict disciplinary practices.

Another major improvement was in the transport system used in Britain. With the help of steam engines and new techniques for road-building, the road and rail networks during the industrial revolution underwent major changes. The improvement in the transport system reduced the traveling time. Communication was also improved with the invention of railroad signaling as well as the telegraphy system.

Impacts of Industrial Revolution

The industrial revolution brought about major changes in the economic and social aspects. Some of the major impacts were:

• The adoption of the factory system wherein manufacturing was concentrated in large and centralized establishments.
• The use of water and steam power improved the power supply to the industries and mechanized the processes of cloth weaving.
• The wealth was widely distributed and this increased international trade.
• Cities grew larger, but these were usually dirty.
• Managerial hierarchies were developed to oversee the work in factories and the concept of division of labor was introduced.
• The population in urban areas increased as more and more people moved to cities to earn a living.
• With increased production, the products became cheaper to buy and the factory owners became the rich strata of society.
• The establishment of laws to protect factory workers.
• Increased pollution and urban crowding.

Pollution in Industrial Revolution

The industrial revolution in many ways helped to shape the society that it is today and led to developments and innovations that are still used in the different nations of the world.

Important Notes

• The industrial revolution was an era in the 18 th and 19 th centuries that brought about a change in which the industries operated.
• The revolution began in Europe and later shifted to the United States.
• The inventions like steam power and steam engine improved the production capacity of the industries.
• Transport and communication systems improved during the industrial revolution.
• The industrial revolution improved the financial and social conditions of people.

Increased pollution and population were major cons of the industrial revolution.

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153 Industrial Revolution Essay Topics & Examples

If you’re looking for the Industrial Revolution essay examples and topics, this page is for you. Below, find ideas on how different inventions changed the world and people.

Our IvyPanda team has provided these Industrial Revolution essay questions and topics so that you don’t have to worry about missing an engaging idea. Interested in describing the phenomenon in America or Britain? Willing to explore public health and how society changed due to new machines? We have perfect titles for you! Plus, check our tips on formulating the Industrial Revolution thesis statement and writing the essay.

Industrial Revolution Essay

Essay by 3rd Form pupil, Elena Kelsall

The Industrial Revolution was hugely beneficial for the British people 1750 – 1900. Do You agree?

The Industrial Revolution was a period of mass industrialisation from 1750 to 1900. There were massive shifts in the main industry in the UK. Before the Industrial Revolution 80% of people lived in the countryside as farmers and 20% of people lived in the city’s, during the Industrial Revolution those figures swapped due to the substantial increase of jobs in the cities. There were many positives and negatives to the Industrial Revolution. Whether the positives, for the people of that time, outweighed the negatives is an ongoing debate. There were many changes made during the Industrial Revolution and not all were for the best.

A major new feature in the city’s skyscapes were factories and mines. They dominated the skyline and played a key part in the Industrialisation of Great Britain. The new factories could mass produce goods such as cloth and car parts at a much faster rate and for a lot less money. Because these items costed less to make, they costed less to buy. This in turn meant that more people on Britain could afford to have items they couldn’t have beforehand. There was a lot more economic freedom in the UK which sparked the Revolution, this freedom inspired entrepreneurs to experiment and invent. For lots of the entrepreneurs, this was how they made their name. The Industrial Revolution meant that factory owners got richer, as did the entrepreneurs. Due to the invention of cars, canals and steamboats, good and materials were getting around the country at far quicker than they had done before. Some factory owners were genuinely nice to their employees, such as Robert Owen. He gave is workers payed holidays, homes, and schooling before it was law, even to adults. He worked with his employees to combat alcoholism and abuse. The large majority of factories provided food for their employees who would not otherwise be able to feed themselves. The fact that they did not have to buy food meant that they could save up and spent their money on things like holidays, clothes and homes. The mines provided the fuel to the Industrial Revolution both metaphorically and literally. Coal was essential to powering machinery and was a resource that was plentiful in the UK. The growing demand for coal provided jobs for more people as the mines got bigger. The mine owners also got extraordinarily rich for coal was so important, it was known as black gold. It was these rich factory and mine owners that boosted the economy and made Britain a world power.

There were, however, several negatives too. Factory owners like Robert Owen were a rarity and the majority of owners cared little for their employees who where little more then slaves. Workers had very few breaks and no protective equipment. The owners could be as beastly as they wanted to their workers and there were countless reports of cruelty towards men, women, and children. Lots of the workers developed lung problems as a result of the pollution and smoke in the air. Young children had no hope of being able to get a job anywhere else because of the fact that they had no education. There were no laws around the way employees were treated until the factory acts of 1833 and 1847. In some ways, the conditions were even worse for the miners. They had to go down onto pitch black holes and because of the rise in demand for coal, the mine shafts were getting deeper and deeper. There were multiple safety hazards and collapsing mine tunnels and poisonous gas build ups were a common occurrence. Children as young as 6 were sent into mines. There was no policing in the mines until the mine act of 1842. There was a dramatic change in the public health during the industrial revolution. Doctors were sent to monitor health under a scheme run by a man called Chadwick. There was a rise in awareness of killer diseases such as Cholera. Later on in the industrial revolution a man called Dr Snow discovered the cause of Cholera and how minor changes could slow the spread around a town thus saving thousands of lives. There was a raised awareness of general hygiene which had, until this point, has been unbelievably bad. A new sewer system was put in place which stopped water from becoming contaminated and full of bacteria. This led to fewer cases of typhoid and other horrible diseases. Cholera was declared officially eradicated in 1866 and there was the beginning of a cure and vaccine for smallpox which was eradicated just after the end of the Revolution. The air became cleaner and more nurses were being employed. This created both jobs and a healthier and more able population.

Before all of the major positive health changes were made, public health was dreadful. The average age of death was just 30 and 142 out of 1000 (14.2%) children died before they became adults. There were more child deaths then adult deaths in the early parts of the Revolution. There were reports of coffin makers being overloaded with orders, there were so many that they couldn’t make them fast enough there was a large amount of wate on the streets however, the initially poor public health did improve drastically.

In conclusion, I believe that although working conditions in factories and mines were bad and public health was bad to begin with, when you consider the positives, it changed the lives of the people in Great Britain for the better. The massive advances in medicine, the boost to the economy and the fact that it made Britain a world power positively effected the lives of the majority of the population. Ordinary peoples lives got better due to higher wages and longer life expectancy.

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Dodd, George. Days at the Factories; Or, The Manufacturing Industry of Great Britain Described and Illustrated by Numerous Engravings of Machines and Processes . London: Charles Knight and Co., 1843

Engels, Friedrich. The Condition of the Working-Class in 1844 . New York: J.W. Lovell Co., 1887. (First published in 1845.)

Gaskell, P.  The Manufacturing Population of England : Its Moral, Social, and Physical Conditions, and the Changes which have Arisen from the Use of Steam Machinery; with an Examination of Infant Labour.  London : Baldwin and Cradock, 1833.

Great Britain Commissioners for Inquiring into the Employment and Condition of Children in Mines and Manufactories. The Physical and Moral Condition of the Children and Young Persons Employed in Mines and Manufactures . London: John W. Parker, 1843.

Routledge, Robert.  Discoveries and Inventions of the Nineteenth Century .  London: G. Routledge, 1881

Tomlinson, Charles.  The Useful Arts and Manufactures of Great Britain . London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1848 (manufacturing of paper, glass, leather, parchment, glue, sugar, and various textile materials.)

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Industrial Revolution Essay

500+ words industrial revolution essay it’s history, the impact and pros and cons of industrial revolution.

The Industrial revolution was a period of major changes, which transformed the largely handicraft and agriculture based economy to machine manufacturing. European and American society was completely dependent on agriculture, hand production methods, which meant lower production. But in the latter half of the 18th century, the introduction of mass producing machines and industrialization changed this. This modern method of production led to mass production, which brought about major changes in the economy.

The industrial revolution brought about several social changes too. It led to new job opportunities, lowered prices, better quality of life and communication. But it wasn’t all good, the industrial revolution had its disadvantages too. While it did improve the quality of life with a better economy, it also led to harsh working conditions. Industrialization also led to pollution, lower pay and in some cases, unemployment too.

Learn more about the history, the impact and the pros and cons of the industrial revolution in this industrial revolution essay.

Industrial Revolution Essay: History Of Industrial Revolution

Before the industrial revolution, the economy was completely dependent on agriculture and handmade products. This meant fewer products were produced and the cost of production and the goods were higher too. But all this changed with the introduction of machines and factories in the late 1700s and mid 1800s. The industrial revolution transformed the largely rural and agriculture based society into urban, machine-powered factories. It began in Britain and soon spread to America, Japan and other European countries.

The industrial revolution brought about several economic and social changes across the world. Learn more about how the industrial revolution impacted society and its advantages and disadvantages. 

Also explore: Read more essays on related topics like technology essay and pollution essay .

Industrial Revolution Essay: The Impact Of The Industrial Revolution

The industrial revolution led to several important developments. First, the textile industry was changed. Machines were invented to make the cleaning, gathering, spinning and weaving processes easy. With modern methods of production, large amounts of cloth could be produced at once. The invention of the steam engine further improved the production. Gradually, industrialization spread to all kinds of industries like farming, transportation, communication, banking etc.

The Advantages Of The Industrial Revolution

• Ease Of Production: Industrialization made way for cheaper and more efficient production. Additionally, it made production quicker and easier.
• Innovation and development: The industrial revolution made way for innovation and development in several fields like communication, transportation, farming etc.
• Better job opportunities: The advent of machines and factories made way for jobs with specialized skills, which created new job opportunities. With better economic opportunities, the quality of life also improved. 
• Improved healthcare: The industrial revolution also helped make several advancements in the field of healthcare. Medical equipment and medicines could be manufactured easily and innovated, which resulted in better healthcare.

But while it had several advantages, the industrial revolution had several disadvantages too. Learn more about the cons in this industrial revolution essay.

The Disadvantages Of The Industrial Revolution

• Unemployment: With the advent of machines, several particular jobs became obsolete. People and families that performed these jobs were left without jobs or income. This led to unemployment and poverty.
• Overcrowding of cities: With more and more people from rural areas moving to the cities hoping for better wages, cities became overcrowded. The sudden influx of migrants in poorly planned cities and towns led to unsanitary living conditions and spread diseases.
• Harsh working conditions: With factories churning out products in mass quantities, factory owners prized profit over everything else. The workers were underpaid and forced to overwork with no concern for their safety. The dirt, the soot, smoke and chemicals expelled from the factories made working conditions in the factories unsanitary and hazardous to the workers’ health too. This resulted in accidents, the workers getting injured and even death in certain cases. 
• Pollution: One of the greatest ills that the industrial revolution brought about is the pollution and environmental ills that it caused. The factories also used natural resources endlessly, which led to global warming and other ecological problems. 
• Economic gap:  The factory and industry owners looked at their gain above all else. So, the workers were exploited and forced to overwork in unsanitary conditions for low wages. As a result, the factory owners got richer, while the workers stayed poor. This unequal distribution of wealth created an economic gap. 

The industrial revolution has its advantages and disadvantages, but our society wouldn’t be the same without it. Nonetheless, we can continue to enjoy the benefits by focusing on innovation without compromising on safety and equality.

We hope you found this industrial revolution essay helpful. Osmo has several essays on a wide variety of topics. For more information, check essays for kids .

Frequently Asked Questions On Industrial Revolution

What is the industrial revolution.

Industrial revolution was a period during which the largely rural, agricultural and hand produced economy shifted to modern, machine based manufacturing.

What are some advantages of the industrial revolution?

Industrialization and urbanization made way for mass production, innovation and development, better job opportunities and improved quality of life, cheaper products etc.

What are some cons of the industrial revolution?

Industrialization led to unemployment, depletion of natural resources, pollution, harsh working conditions, overpopulation and unequal distribution of wealth.

Essay on Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution marks a pivotal period in human history, fundamentally transforming the fabric of society, economy, and technology. Spanning from the late 18th to the early 19th century, it commenced in Britain and gradually proliferated across the globe. This essay delves into the essence, causes, key developments, and profound impacts of the Industrial Revolution, offering insights for students participating in essay writing competitions.

Industrial Revolution

The genesis of the Industrial Revolution can be traced back to Britain, fueled by a confluence of factors including agricultural advancements, population growth, financial innovations, and a surge in demand for goods. Agricultural improvements led to food surplus, supporting a burgeoning population that provided labor and created a market for industrial goods. Moreover, Britain’s political stability, patent laws, and access to vast resources due to its colonial empire set a fertile ground for industrial innovation.

Technological Innovations

At the heart of the Industrial Revolution were groundbreaking technological innovations that revolutionized manufacturing processes. The introduction of the steam engine by James Watt and the development of power looms significantly enhanced productivity, transitioning industries from manual labor to mechanized production. The iron and coal industries also saw major advancements, with the smelting process being vastly improved by Abraham Darby’s use of coke, leading to stronger and cheaper iron.

Impact on Society and Economy

The Industrial Revolution ushered in dramatic social and economic shifts. Urbanization escalated as people flocked to cities in search of employment in factories, giving rise to burgeoning urban centers. While the revolution generated wealth and propelled economic growth, it also introduced stark social disparities and challenging working conditions. Child labor, long working hours, and unsafe environments became prevalent issues, sparking movements for labor rights and reforms.

Impact on Society

• Urbanization: The Industrial Revolution led to a massive shift from rural areas to cities as people moved in search of employment in factories. This urbanization changed the social fabric, leading to the growth of urban centers and the emergence of a new urban working class.
• Labor Conditions: Factory work during the early Industrial Revolution was often characterized by long hours, low wages, and harsh working conditions. This led to labor protests and the eventual emergence of labor unions advocating for workers’ rights.
• Technological Advancements: The Industrial Revolution saw the development of new technologies and machinery that revolutionized production processes. Innovations like the steam engine and mechanized textile mills transformed industries and increased efficiency.
• Social Stratification: The gap between the wealthy industrialists and the working class widened during this period, resulting in increased social inequality. The emergence of a capitalist class and the growth of industrial capitalism contributed to this divide.
• Education and Literacy: The need for a skilled workforce led to greater emphasis on education. Public education systems began to develop, contributing to higher literacy rates among the population.
• Family Life: The traditional family structure evolved as men, women, and children worked in factories. Child labor, in particular, became a contentious issue, eventually leading to child labor laws and reforms.
• Social Reform Movements: The harsh conditions of industrialization fueled various social reform movements, including the women’s suffrage movement, the abolitionist movement, and efforts to improve public health and housing conditions.

Impact on the Economy

• Economic Growth: The Industrial Revolution fueled rapid economic growth as production processes became more efficient, leading to increased output of goods and services.
• New Industries: New industries and sectors emerged, such as textiles, coal mining, iron and steel production, and transportation. These industries became the backbone of the modern economy.
• Global Trade: The Industrial Revolution facilitated global trade by improving transportation and communication networks. The expansion of railways, canals, and steamships allowed for the movement of goods on a larger scale.
• Entrepreneurship: The period saw the rise of entrepreneurship, with individuals and companies investing in new ventures and technologies. Innovators like James Watt and George Stephenson played pivotal roles in the development of steam power and transportation.
• Financial Institutions: The growth of industry led to the expansion of financial institutions, including banks and stock exchanges, to support investment and capital accumulation.
• Capitalism and Market Economies: The Industrial Revolution played a significant role in the development of capitalism and market-driven economies, with private ownership of means of production and the pursuit of profit as driving forces.
• Labor Markets: Labor markets evolved as people migrated to urban areas in search of work. The supply of labor increased, impacting wages, labor laws, and the development of employment contracts.
• Consumer Culture: Mass production and improved transportation made consumer goods more accessible and affordable. This contributed to the rise of consumer culture and the growth of retail markets.

Transportation and Communication Breakthroughs

Transportation and communication underwent transformative changes, shrinking distances and fostering global interconnectedness. The construction of railways and the steam locomotive revolutionized travel and commerce, enabling faster movement of goods and people. Similarly, the telegraph, patented by Samuel Morse, allowed for instantaneous communication over long distances, laying the groundwork for the modern connected world.

Environmental and Global Implications

The Industrial Revolution had profound environmental impacts, with increased pollution and resource exploitation becoming notable concerns. The reliance on coal and the expansion of industries contributed to air and water pollution, foreshadowing contemporary environmental challenges. Globally, the revolution catalyzed industrialization in other countries, altering global trade patterns and establishing new economic hierarchies.

Cultural and Intellectual Responses

The Industrial Revolution also sparked a rich cultural and intellectual response, inspiring movements such as Romanticism, which critiqued the era’s industrialization and its disconnect from nature. Philosophers and economists, including Karl Marx and Adam Smith, analyzed its implications on class relations and economic systems, offering divergent perspectives on industrial capitalism.

The Second Industrial Revolution

Following the initial wave of industrialization, a Second Industrial Revolution emerged in the late 19th century, characterized by further technological advancements in steel production, electricity, and chemical processes. Innovations such as the internal combustion engine and the harnessing of electricity for lighting and motors opened new avenues for industrial and societal development.

Challenges and Reforms

The Industrial Revolution’s darker facets, such as exploitative labor practices and environmental degradation, elicited calls for reform. The establishment of labor unions and the enactment of laws to improve working conditions and limit child labor were critical steps towards addressing these issues. These reforms laid the groundwork for modern labor rights and environmental consciousness.

Legacy and Continuing Influence

The legacy of the Industrial Revolution is enduring, laying the foundations for modern industrial society and shaping the contemporary world. Its innovations spurred continuous technological progress, setting the stage for the information age and the current technological revolution. Moreover, it has left lasting imprints on societal structures, economic practices, and global relations.

In conclusion, The Industrial Revolution was not merely a period of technological innovation; it was a profound transformation that redefined human society, economy, and the environment. Its multifaceted impacts, from spurring economic growth and global interconnectedness to introducing social challenges and environmental concerns, underscore its complexity and significance. As students delve into the intricacies of the Industrial Revolution, they uncover the roots of modern society and the ongoing evolution shaped by this pivotal era in human history. This exploration not only enriches their understanding of the past but also offers valuable lessons for addressing the challenges and opportunities of the future.

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Similarities between Agriculture and Industrial Revolution

This essay about the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions explores their profound impacts on human history. Highlighting their similarities, it examines how both revolutions transformed economies, altered societal structures, and shifted labor dynamics. These periods also spurred demographic changes and technological advancements, fundamentally reshaping human civilization. The essay illuminates the parallel developments in these epochs, emphasizing their roles in driving the evolution of societies and economies through innovation and adaptation.

How it works

In the intricate mosaic of human history, the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions stand out as particularly resonant and intriguing chapters. Although these revolutions are separated by significant spans of time, they exhibit striking similarities that highlight the complex interplay of human progress. Both revolutions transformed economies and fundamentally altered societal structures, providing a fascinating perspective from which to examine the evolution of human civilization.

At their core, the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions represent monumental shifts in how humans interact with and exploit their environments for growth and survival.

The Agricultural Revolution, beginning around 10,000 BCE, marked the shift from nomadic life to settled agricultural societies through the domestication of plants and animals. This change allowed communities to produce food surpluses, leading to the establishment of permanent settlements and complex social hierarchies. In a similar vein, the Industrial Revolution, which started in the late 18th century, signaled the onset of mechanization and mass production, transforming labor and ushering in the modern industrial age with innovations like steam power.

A key parallel between these eras is their impact on labor dynamics. The Agricultural Revolution introduced specialized roles within communities, such as artisans and traders, essential for the growth of civilizations. The Industrial Revolution created the factory system and transformed workers into a proletariat, pulling them into new urban centers for industrial work. Both revolutions drastically altered labor relations, moving from feudal systems to capitalist economies based on wage labor.

Both revolutions also significantly influenced demographic trends and population dynamics. The Agricultural Revolution’s surplus production led to increased population growth by improving food security and supporting larger settled communities. This set the stage for more complex societal developments, including urbanization and job specialization. Similarly, the Industrial Revolution fueled a demographic explosion due to advancements in healthcare and sanitation, which improved life expectancy and reduced mortality rates. This resulted in a massive migration from rural areas to cities, transforming urban environments and social structures.

Additionally, these periods initiated major shifts in societal hierarchies and power dynamics. The Agricultural Revolution established hierarchical structures with centralized power and social stratification, where control over land and resources determined wealth and influence, leading to the emergence of monarchies and caste systems. Conversely, the Industrial Revolution concentrated economic power in the hands of a few industrialists who grew wealthy from labor exploitation, sparking social movements that demanded political reforms and workers’ rights.

Both revolutions were also catalysts for technological and scientific advancements. The Agricultural Revolution brought innovations like irrigation, crop rotation, and metallurgy, which significantly boosted agricultural efficiency. The Industrial Revolution introduced critical technologies such as steam engines, textile machinery, and railways, transforming production, transportation, and communication, and setting the stage for ongoing scientific and technological progress.

In summary, despite their temporal distance and different catalysts, the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions share numerous similarities that highlight the interconnected nature of human history. These revolutions not only reshaped labor, demographics, and societal structures but also drove technological and scientific breakthroughs, leaving a lasting impact on human societies and economies. Understanding these parallels provides valuable insights into human development and the continuous drive for innovation and improvement.

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