The Industrial Revolution In Britain

The Industrial Revolution was a period of time from the late eighteenth century to the mid-late nineteenth century, in which industry flourished. After this original period of revolution, however, many other industrial booms occurred throughout Europe and the wold. This period, which played a prominent role in the development and modernization of Europe, first occurred in Britain. The Industrial Revolution started in Britain due its agricultural, political and intellectual climates which were ripe for industrial success, and its various advantageous geographical features. Britains success in agriculture in the century prior to the Industrial Revolution contributed to its success in industrial expansion. Britain’s use of the closed field system,

This stability brought peace and prosperity to the country, and in turn allowed the people to dedicate more resources to industrial improvement. This can be seen in a quote by Edward Baines, in which he states, “The arts are the daughters of peace and liberty.” Along with political stability, the parliament taxed heavily to fund a navy to protect trade, and the Navigation Acts under Oliver Cromwell taxed on imported goods, therefore encouraging the growth of British Industries. These policies, falling in line with the British mercantilist theory, reassured investors and merchants that their overseas trade would be safe, and therefore encouraged more trade. As well, they encouraged the growth of British industries to provide alternative goods to those which were usually heavily imported. These economic principles of domestically producing goods and fiercely protecting trade were uniquely British, as Britain sought to acquire new wealth, rather than capture existing wealth. This wealth was necessary to the start of an industrial revolution, as it ensured that Britain had the funds and the drive to keep

Coal commonly was found near water, and therefore could be easily transported to London, where it was sold for much cheaper than other countries. This source of energy, which was three times as efficient as traditional wood fuel, sparked invention and innovation, as people discovered that its energy could be harnessed and controlled for efficient and money-saving industrial use. This promise of profit enticed many inventors and investors to place time and energy into the production of machines which could efficiently pump the water out of deep coal mines, a problem which plagued the era of strictly manual labor. This race to find the best mechanical way to mine deep coal served as a precursor to the later Industrial Revolution, as people were truly driven to improve industry. Coal also sparked the creation of the steam engine, commonly seen as a pivotal point in Britains industrial history which allowed for rapidly increasing efficiency and lower prices of