The Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840. This transition included the rise of the factory system. As a result of the industrial revolution, Great Britain saw itself going from an agricultural society to an industrial society. Individuals fled their failing farmland to the cities and colonies for work.
The industrial revolution lead to cramped and poorly planned cities unprepared for the influx of workers. Cities were impoverished and disease ridden; factories were dirty and unsafe; child labor was the norm. The effects of the technology created in this time, as well as the growth in in labour unions and the fight for workers' rights are still felt to this day. |