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Where Did The Industrial Revolution Begin?
Where Did The Industrial Revolution Begin?
from small shops and homes to large factories. This shift brought about
changes in culture as people moved from rural areas to big cities in order to
work. It also introduced new technologies, new types of transportation, and a
different way of life for many.
The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain in the late 1700s. Many of the
first innovations that enabled the Industrial Revolution began in the textile
industry. Making cloth moved from homes to large factories. Britain also had
plenty of coal and iron which was important to power and make machines for
the factories.
The Industrial Revolution lasted for over 100 years. After beginning in Britain in
the late 1700s it spread to Europe and the United States. The Industrial
Revolution can be divided into two phases:
The early part of the Industrial Revolution in the United States took place in the
northeast in the New England region. Many historians place the start of the
Industrial Revolution with the opening of Slater's Mill in 1793 in Pawtucket,
Rhode Island. Samuel Slater had learned about textile mills growing up in
England and brought his knowledge to the United States. By the end of the
1800s, the United States had become the most industrialized nation in the
world.
Cultural Changes
The Industrial Revolution brought about many cultural changes. Before the
revolution, most people lived in the country and worked on farms. During the
revolution, people moved to the cities to work in factories. Cities grew and
became overcrowded, unsanitary, and polluted. In many cities, poor workers
lived in crowded and unsafe buildings. This was a dramatic shift in the way of
life for the average person.
Transportation
Working Conditions
One drawback of the Industrial Revolution was poor working conditions for
people in factories. There were few laws to protect workers at the time and
working conditions were often dangerous. People often had to work long hours
and child labor was a common practice. By the end of the 1900s, labor unions
and new laws began to create a safer working environment.