Why did Britain experience an Industrial Revolution?

Definitions Between Britain became the first industrial nation and the dominant economic power in the world. By % of the population lived in new towns and cities and 40% of the workforce worked in factories mass producing goods In the same period the numbers of people living and working in the countryside went down significantly The Industrial Revolution therefore describes a combination of developments: 1. Urbanisation 2. Factory production replacing the domestic system 3. Population growth 4. Mechanisation 5. Mass production It was not a revolution in the sense that it happened suddenly, rather it gets called a revolution because it resulted in such huge changes in the way of life.

Causes 1. Population growth – more people needed more food, more clothes and more services 2. Scientific Knowledge – technological breakthroughs with the advance of science and engineering 3. Internal Peace – Britain was stable internally, no major political or social upheavals 4. Communications – Britain had canals and roads 5. Raw Materials – Britain had huge reserves of coal and iron – the building blocks of industrial production 6. Banks – Britain was already a banking and commercial centre far in advance of most of Europe 7. Not a feudal country – Britain did not have the system of local taxes and tariffs that existed in most of Europe 8. ‘Laissez-faire’ – the economist Adam Smith had introduced the idea that government should not interfere with economic development

Activity Use the handout and the Diamond 9 template to evaluate the Causes of the Industrial Revolution

Domestic and Factory Systems Domestic – pre industrial revolution. People worked at home, families specialised in an area of production, merchant brought the good to the home and collected it when complete, workers paid ‘piece rate’, no machines, workers relatively highly skilled, limited production Factory – post Industrial revolution. Workers travelled to factory for employment, workers supervised, workers work machines and have less special skill, all stages of production under one roof, highly mechanised, continuous production, mass production

Pair Share Suggest 3 reasons why workers might prefer the domestic system and 3 reasons why merchants or capitalists might prefer the factory system

Textiles The first industry to experience the Industrial revolution was the textile (clothing) industry 6 key individuals were crucial do this process Research your allocated individual and report back on their influence and significance John Kay and his Flying Shuttle James Hargreaves and the Spinning Jenny John Wyatt and Lewis Paul Richard Arkwright and his Water Frame Samuel Crompton and his mule Edmund Cartwright and his power loom