Industrial Revolution Dbq Essay

The Industrial Revolution was one of the most drastic changes in society, economy, and overall life throughout Great Britain. By the 1780’s, the British Industrial Revolution began to truly accelerate after people realized they had access to resources such as coal and iron. The people of England used these resources to create machines, such as the Steam Engine. Not only did these new inventions make England wealthy, but transportation and the quality of clothing also improved, along with several other issues. Yet, although so much change was in occurrence, it was not all positive. Conditions in most of England were extremely horrid; indigence filled the towns. Men, women and children were forced to work in factories and coal mines, and worked

Therefore, the innovative Industrial Revolution was an enormous improvement throughout Great Britain, regardless of the negativities it caused.

The Revolutionary act in 1780 in England would not have been fulfilled without the help of hundreds of men, women, and children sparing dangerously long hours in factories or mines. Even though the work was tough, these people were essential in the rise of the Industrial Revolution. Document one of the evidence exemplifies the use of child labor in England, through a simple interview. The interviewee, William Cooper informed the interviewer who was a member of the Sadler Committee, that he had begun working at the age of ten in mills, and the work was not at all easy. William, when asked how long he normally worked, explained, “We began at five in the morning, and stopped at nine in the night.” (Cooper). This quote demonstrates that everyone, even children, worked long, hard hours and had a very short break, “one period of forty minutes in the sixteen hours” (Cooper), to be exact. Apart

These benefits made for lower priced clothing, food, and transportation, which eventually evolved into a mass population growth. Published in 1831, The Working Man’s Companion was a book written for the purpose of explaining the Industrial Revolution. About 50 years after the commencement of the Revolution, the book describes it as a comfortable change, because materials like food became cheaper, so it was easier to survive. The excerpt explains, “Every day is adding something to your comforts. Your houses are better built, your clothes are cheaper, you have an infinite number of domestic utensils. You can travel cheaply from place to place, and not only travel at less expense, but travel ten times quicker than two hundred years ago.” (WMC). What The Working Man’s Companion was trying to get across, is that besides all the negativities, the industries had completely rearranged the British way of life, in less than 200 years. Such a massive impact lead to a social change, where trying to move through life became more of a breeze. Furthermore, those who had occupations in either mills, mines or factories definitely did not have it completely terrible. A pamphlet, published in 1797, by the Society for Bettering the Condition and Increasing the Comforts of the Poor, thoroughly explains how those who