Social impact of the Industrial Revolution

1. Social impact of the Industrial Revolution

2. Do Now: 2/7/13 • How has life changed since the 1750s? • What will life be like for the farmers/peasants who move to the cities?

3. New Life in the British Cities  • New cities = poverty & harsh living conditions • Move from farms to cities was too quick – cities were not built to sustain • Working people – suffered dangerous working conditions • Unsafe, unsanitary & overcrowded housing • Urbanization

4. New Social Classes Emerge • IR created new middle class & new working class • Middle Class: aka Bourgeoisie • Owned & operated new factories, mines & railroads • Comfortable lifestyle  $$$ • Working Class: • Previous farm families • Workers in mines & factories • Tough working conditions & poor housing options • Tenements

5. Life in Tenements • No running water – common pump • No sewage or sanitation system • Waste & garbage rotted in streets • Dumped into rivers = STENCH & CONTAMINATION • Spread of disease

6. Workers Protest • Labor unions (worker’s organizations) = ILLEGAL • Secret unions existed • Wanted reforms • Increase in pay • But had no political power • SOMETIMES – led to violence • First industrial riots – 1811-1813 • Luddites • Textile workers resisted machines replacing their jobs • Smashed machines, burned buildings  wore masks @ night • Wide spread support for Luddites

7. Life in factories • Rigid schedule set by factory whistle • Long hours  12-16 hours • Could only take breaks when allowed by owners • Suffered from accidents  exhaustion • No safety devices • Loss of fingers, limbs & even lives • Textile mills – breathed air filled with lint  damaged lungs • Sick or injured? LOST THEIR JOBS • Early factory workers were women not men – half $$ • Double burden • 14 hour shifts & came home to chores

8. Life in Mines • IR increased demand for IRON & COAL • Miners were paid more • Conditions were worse than factories • Worked in darkness & coal dust destroyed their lungs • DANGER – explosions, flooding & collapsing tunnels • Women & children carted heavy loads of coal & navigated tunnels on all fours

9. Children’s dangerous jobs • Started working 7 or 8 (sometimes younger!) • Small hands & quick moving • Changed spools in the hot & humid textile mills • Could not see – dust • Crawled under machinery to repair broken threads • WORSE for children in mines • Worked all day in the dark • Child labor reforms “factory acts” passed in early 1800s • Reduce work day to 12 hours & remove young children from cotton mills • Laws NOT enforced  inspectors hired in 1830s & 40s • Eventually required children to be educated

10. Results of industrialization • Debate – was the IR a blessing or a curse? • Brought terrible hardships • Took time to improve conditions • Labor unions won rights to bargain with employers • Eventually working class men gained suffrage Positive  • demand for goods created more jobs • Wages increased - $$ left over for entertainment • Opportunities increased

11. Social Reforms

12. Exit Ticket • How did the factories & mines change the way people lived and worked in the 1800s?