06 The Industrial Revolution and Social Change Free Online FlashCards

What drove industrialization?

It combined mechanized production, new power sources, investment, expanding trade, and growing markets rather than resulting from one invention.

Where and when did industrialization begin?

Industrialization began in Britain in the late eighteenth century and spread unevenly across Europe during the nineteenth century.

How did mechanization transform textile production?

Textile machines increased the speed and scale of spinning and weaving. Water power, followed by steam power, enabled production to concentrate in mills.

How did factories reorganize production?

Factories brought workers and machines together under coordinated schedules and supervision, replacing some production formerly done by independent artisans or at home.

How did new transport systems support industrial growth?

Steam engines, canals, and railways reduced the time and cost of moving goods, raw materials, and people, connecting industrial centers with ports and markets.

How did railway building encourage further industrial growth?

Railway construction increased demand for iron, coal, engines, and building work, which in turn stimulated further industrial growth.

What linked Manchester's cotton industry to overseas trade?

Manchester's cotton industry linked manufacturing with merchants, transport, and overseas trade. Its cotton supply was also tied to enslaved labor on plantations.

Why did rapid urban growth create public-health problems?

Town populations often grew faster than housing, clean water, drainage, and other services. Overcrowding and polluted water helped disease spread.

How did industrialization change class relations?

A larger commercial and industrial middle class gained wealth and influence, while many workers relied on wages from mills, mines, workshops, or construction.

What challenges could factory workers face?

Factory work could involve long hours, strict discipline, dangerous machinery, and insecure employment. Conditions varied by skill, occupation, region, and other factors.

Why did some Luddites destroy machinery?

Some skilled textile workers destroyed machinery they associated with lost livelihoods, lower wages, or worsening conditions. They challenged how employers introduced machinery and distributed its costs.

What workplace goals did workers pursue through unions?

Workers formed associations and unions to press collectively for better wages and working conditions.