Industrial Revolution Dbq Essay

By 1780’s, the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain began to further accelerate as machinery advancements allowed factories and businesses to produce more at a cheaper and faster rate. Cites such as Manchester, were greatly affected and became vast areas constructed of canals, railroads, and areas of development. Poor living and working conditions along side a dismal city were issues caused by the industrial growth of Manchester; as the course of the 19th century continued reforms were imposed to resolve these issues. Fast and cheap production produced extensive work hours for labors with quite the atrocious atmosphere. “If you visit a factory, it is easy to see that the comfort and welfare of the workers have never entered the builder's

Tristan wrote in her journal saying, ““Most workers lacking clothing, bed, furniture, fuel, wholesome food- even potatoes!” (doc 3) This quote helps understand how poor the living conditions were because simple necessities of clothing and wholesome food were lacking in the labors lifestyles. The living conditions were so poor in industrialized areas that death rates at younger ages were occurring. This is shown in document 5 through the British medical journal, edited by Thomas Wakley a medical reformer. In the Average Death Rate graph in the British medical journal says that in rural districts, such as Bath , the

William Alexander Abram, a journalist and historian, explains the reforms imposed in his journal article of 1898, “The Hours of Labor in Factories Act, passed in 1844, worked a thorough reform. The excessive hours of labor have been legally reduced to ten hours per day. Wages - thanks mainly to accelerated machinery and improved working conditions - have largely increased. A new cotton mill of the first class is a model of spaciousness and convenience. The lavish provision of public parks, baths and free libraries promotes the health, happiness and culture of the industrial orders … Sickness and mortality have been reduced to an extend that is almost incredible” (doc 6) Due to the long work hours the Hours of Labor in Factories Act was passed limiting the hours ladors could work, resolving issues from terrible working conditions. The terrible working conditions issue was also resolved from making machinery more spaciousness and convenience. Living conditions were improved because wages were increased, sickness and mortality were reduced, public parks, baths and free libraries promote health and happiness. Thomas B. Macaulay, liberal Member of Parliament and historian tells us, “People live longer because they are better fed, better lodged, better clothed, and better attended in sickness, and these improvements are owing to the increase in national health which the manufacturing