Chapter 17

Strayer pages 827-862

The Industrial Revolution
The industrial revolution was a huge transition with these technological advances that pretty much created a new manufacturing process. This either destroyed or made up companies; "It was a breakthrough of unprecedented proportions that made available for human use, at least temporarily, immense greater quantities of energy" (828). These raw materials fed and fueled the industry machinery. This altered the landscape (and well if you look at us now, we are still impacting the environment today, although there are more regulations now).
So whats the big deal? These raw materials? Well, these raw materials were a huge source of energy that increased goods in services. If you have taken any economics courses, you know that this is a huge deal (well, I guess if you're a person with common sense you know this was a huge deal too). Anyways, so this industrial revolution had a lot of money coming in. It was spotted in Europe, in specific, Britain. There was this great breakthrough of the coal- fired steam engine which provided an inanimate and almost limitless source of power beyond wind, water or muscle (830). Followed there was steel production...the railroads, construction, food processing, etc.. It then spread from Britain to Western Europe... then the US, Russia and Japan. The Industrial Revolution made economies become more efficient.

So why in Europe? Well you have to keep in mind that Europeans have been described as creative and freedom loving creatures. Its easier to bring ideas to the table when those above you encourage it rather than discouraged because of religious beliefs. It began in Britain and it was unplanned and unexpected. Like I mentioned before, the British political life encouraged commercialization and economic innovation... and in a place like this, something like the industrial revolution was bound to happen.

Social Classes: As a result of the Industrial Revolution, the 98% broke up into new social classes. They were the entrepreneurs. New kinds of economies developed. There was a massive movement of people to the cities because of the job loss. The way people worked.. they were either owners or not owners and this was fundamentally changing.

Environment: The people going through the Industrial Revolution did not even think that bering these fossil fuels was bad and caused pollution; they had no idea. Now, its a big problem. It begins with pollution to ultimately the death of the planet, which people are concerned now. They were using non renewable energy.

Social Structures:
The social classes used to just be three groups. After the industrial revolution, there were new classes forming.
Those who benefited more from this revolution were the middle class. It contained a wealthy factory and mine owners, bankers, and merchants. By the end of the century, the growing segment  of the middle class represented 20% of the population. Many opportunities opened up.
The laboring classes were shaped by the new working conditions of the industrial era. The living conditions were not the best: "vastly overcrowded and smoky, wit wholly inadequate sanitation, periodic epidemics, endless row houses and warehouses, few public services or open spaces and inadequate and often polluted water supplies"(839)

Summary: The industrial Revolution was important because of the technological advances. During this time, there was the creation of a new manufacturing process. Machines replaced many workers an they got pushed into the cities in search for jobs.
How did people respond? It depends on the group. There were protests because of this new change. Not everyone was satisfied with capitalism; they felt capitalism had a few problems. There were new economic systems coming to exist.