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Showing posts from October, 2010

The Industrial Revolution In the United Kingdom

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Hi All, my name is Andrew Ruhl and this is going to be my research blog; over the coming weeks I will be adding to this blog bits of information concerning the Industrial Revolution and how this period of time saw the rise of both literacy and the access to printed information. Research Plan: ·                     Outline the specific time period of the Industrial Revolution in  Britain ·                     What events lead up to the Industrial Revolution ( spirit of the times ) ·                     Effect this had on production of literary materials ·              ...

Causes of the Industrial Revolution in Europe/Britain

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Britain in the 17th Century saw the utilization of many of Britain natural resources, such as coal and steel production. European trade hub mid 17th Century Before we can talk about the Industrial Revolution, we must first take into account the massive lead that Great Britain had over other countries. Some have stressed about the importance of natural and/or financial resources that Britain received from its many overseas colonies (Britain at this time controlled around one third of the world), or about the profits taken from the British slave trade between Africa and the Caribbean. They argue that this helped fuel industrial investment. ' It has been pointed out, however, that slave trade and West Indian plantations provided only 5% of the British national income during the years of the Industrial Revolution. Even though slavery accounted for minimal economic profits in Britain during the Industrial Revolut...

Social Aspects of the Industrial Revolution

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In terms of socio economics, the Industrial Revolution witnessed the fast rise of a   middle class   of industrialists and businessmen over the landed class of nobility and gentry which represented the middle and upper classes prior to the Industrial Revolution. Source: wikipedia Ordinary working people found increased opportunities for employment in the new mills and factories, but these were often under strict working conditions with long hours of labour dominated by a pace set by machines. However, harsh working conditions were prevalent long before the Industrial Revolution took place. Pre-industrial society was very static and often cruel—child labour, dirty living conditions, and long working hours were just as prevalent before the Industrial Revolution During this time living conditions during the Industrial Revolution varied from the splendour of the homes of the owners to the squalor of the lives of the workers. Poor people lived in very small houses in cramped street...
Here is a timeline of events that helped shape the Industrial Revolution. I found it on the internet, and although I did not mention that I would be posting a timeline up in my assignment brief, I thought it was to detailed and to good to pass up. So here it is, a complete listing of all the main technological advancements to take place from 1563 - 1908. 1563 Rev. William Lee, born at Woodborough near Nottingham, invents the Stocking Frame, a mechanical device for knitting stockings. 1692 Languedoc Canal connects the Mediterranean with the Bay of Biscay. 240 miles long, with 100 locks, 3 major aqueducts, 1 tunnel, and a summit reservoir.  The largest canal project between Roman times and the nineteenth century. 1708 Jethro Tull's mechanical (seed) sower permits large-scale planting in rows, for easier cultivation between the rows. 1709 Abraham Darby uses coke to smelt iron ore, replacing wood and charcoal as fuel. 1712 Thomas Newcomen builds first commercially successfu...