Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution occurred in the last part of the
18th century. It began in Great Britain. This revolution was an economic one, and it changed the way
the world produced goods.
The population went from being agricultural to industrial.
This meant people moved off of the farms and out of the country. There were
huge numbers of people that moved into cities. Many people were forced to move
to the cities to look for work. They ended up living in cities that could not
support them.
During this time, there were also many new advancements in technology. Some of the biggest advancements were in steam power. New fuels such as coal and petroleum, were used in these new steam engines. This revolutionized many industries including textiles and manufacturing.
Another invention was called the telegraph. This made
communicating across the ocean easier and much faster. Messages could be sent
and received in minutes and delivered the same day. Writing a letter and
sending it overseas could take weeks.
The Industrial Revolution was not a good revolution for the
Earth. Industry was releasing huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere and waste into the waterways and soil. Pollution by nuclear waste,
pesticides and other chemicals are also the result of the Industrial
Revolution.
Many natural resources were being used up at an alarming
rate.
The year 1760, is generally accepted as the beginning of the
Industrial Revolution. In reality, the revolution began more than two centuries
before this date. The late 18th century and the early l9th century brought out
the ideas and discoveries of those who had lived a long time before.
A short film about the industrial revolution and child labour.
Websites for searching information:
