Ap Euro Manchester Dbq Analysis

Problems in Manchester DBQ

In the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution brought many changes to Europe. While some of these changes, such as light, coal, and more jobs, benefitted the continent and set it towards many of the advances that put us where we are today, many of the changes at the time lead to miserable people within the city. Along with the fact that factories were polluting water in rivers and the air, people working in the factories died young because of long work hours, little sleep and little family time. In addition, people were having many children in order to bring more income to the family, forcing their children to work at as little as the age of three. During the 19th century, the city of Manchester, England experienced

Before reforms were made to fix factory conditions, wages, and hours, workers “acquired a dangerous spirit of discontent with the Government [and] protest against the triumphs of machinery” (Doc 4). However, this account was written by a dramatist in 1830, so they may be biased in how dramatic their account was of the situation. According to a visitor to Manchester in 1835, everything within the city was filthy and the overall vibe of the city is “somber and uncouth” (Doc 5). Less than twenty years later, in 1852, Manchester’s “energetic exertions and enterprising spirit… is mainly indebted to its elevation as a seat of commerce and manufacture…” (Doc 9), making it one of the most distinguishable cities in the world. By 1868, however, Manchester not only implemented reforms in order to stop people from dying from a young age, but built public parks, baths, and libraries for the people to live healthier, fulfilled lives. In 1868, journalist William Abram wrote, “Far seldomer than before do we hear the murmur of popular discontent” (Doc 10). This means that Manchester citizens were very much happier than they had been in previous

Not only did their complaints raise wages and decrease working hours, they also eventually advanced medical care, increased literacy rates in the city, and made the city more sanitary. This resulted in healthier, happier people who lived longer and prospered. Not only did people become healthier, the children that they had were also healthier at birth, making it so parents didn’t need to have as many children in fear that some would die at a young age. Overall, Manchester vastly improved as a city throughout the 18th and 19th century; reforms were made, people became happier, and education spread throughout the city, but not before workers protested and died young because of their working and living conditions. The story of Manchester truly proves that in order to improved, you must first experience the lowest point; without the low point, you can never truly understand or experience