Agricultural Revolution Dbq Essay

The Agricultural Revolution initiated the beginnings of a more advanced Britain, which would eventually spread to other parts of the world, albeit rather slowly. It increased labor and land productivity, as well as, creating an abundance of food to provide for Britain’s growing population and the future workers of the Industrial Revolution. A significant change in farming methods was the introduction of crop rotation, which was farming on four plots of land and varying the type of plant growing in each plot each season so that there would be enough resources in the soil for another certain type of plant to thrive. This increased produce production and ensured healthy crops. Aside from efficiently growing crops, the Agricultural Revolution improved

Factories were dimly lit and hardly clean, the machines would injure workers in countless ways with no laws to help the injured. The mines would send workers home with black lungs, from inhaling coal dust. The working space in mines were cramped tunnels where adult men could barely fit, which led to smaller people, otherwise known as children, being hired. As a direct cause, women and children have especially faced the worst of the Industrial Revolution, as it was seen as acceptable to pay them less and they typically had smaller hands and bodies to work the machines and fit in coal mines. For example, in Document 5 a six year old girl testifies and states, "...I carry a full 56 lbs. of coal in a wooden bucket. I work with sister Jesse and mother. It is dark the time we go." In that testimony, it is shown that a 6 year old little girl is forced to carry 56 lbs. of coal by means of a rope and chain. Another two girls, aged 11 and 12, say “We leave the house before six each morning and are in the level until seven o'clock and sometimes later. We get 2p a day and our light costs us 2 1/2 p. a week.” From these two examples alone, it can be seen that young children are being overworked and underpaid. In Document 6, there is an image picturing two young children working huge machines in a factory. The children are both barefoot and wearing loose clothing that can, and

Afterall, the factory and mine owners had no reason to work a day job while they were draining every penny they could save by underpaying their workers. The growing middle class was not excluded to just factory owners, artisans and merchants made a living without ever having to step foot in a factory or a mine. They sapped up the wealth the Industrial Revolution brought to the country and could afford to build large homes just outside of cities, an area known as the suburbs. This new middle class took the top position in British society, outranking the landowners and aristocrats that previously were known as the highest class. Soon, there became a division in the middle class. The upper middle class consisted of factory owners, merchants, and shippers. However, another middle class which was not poor nor rich consisted of government employees, doctors, lawyers, managers, and artisans. All of these people lived comfortable, secure lives while the poor workers began to lose their jobs to machines and continued to live in the filthy