Change & Social Media

The Industrial Revolution affected every part of Great Britain for good and bad. England was the first, they had a lot of changes and they came quick. Earn higher wages rather than on the farms, they could afford to heat their homes with coal, they were able to eat beef, wear nice clothes. Cities grew, and news of higher wages spread, urbanization, city building and the movement of people to cities from the country.

Cities grew in England, no development plans, and sanitary laws. Lacked adequate housing, education, police protection for people who came from the country to find jobs, no drains, collected in piles. They lived in dark dirty apartments, families crowed in one bedroom, sickness was widespread. Epidemics, deadly disease cholera, sickened workers, families. The average life span was 17 years compared with 38 years in the country. Factory owners kept their machines running about 24 hours a day. Employee's worked 14 hours a day 6 days a week. Work did not change with the seasons, like in the country. Factories were not lit well or clean, they were regular injuries. In coal mines they were frequent accidents. Many women and children worked in the mines.

The Industrial Revolution had enormous amounts of wealth in England. Most of the new money belonged to factory owners, shippers, and merchants. Part of a growing middle class and social class was made up of skilled workers, professionals, business people, and wealthy farmers. Landowners and aristocrats had top positions in Britain. Factory owners, merchants and bankers grew wealthier than landowners and aristocrats. Landowners looked down on those who made their money in the lower classes and considered them "Vulgar." The upper middle class consisted of government employees, doctors, lawyers, and managers of factories. The lower middle class consisted of factory over seers, skilled workers as tool makers, and laborers, they saw little improvement in living and working conditions. The lower middle class watched their livelihoods disappear as machines replace them and was very little stability.

The positive effects of the Industrial Revolution, created jobs for workers, wealth of nations. Technological progression and inventions increased production of goods and raised the standard of living. Provided hope of improvement. Healthier diets, cheaper housing. The upper and middle class prospered immediately but lives improved gradually.

The negative effects of the Industrial Revolution, created pollution, poor living conditions for new workers from the country. The farmers were bought out and had to move to the cities. Most poor children were placed in factories to work. Parents who had children and worked long hours gave up their children to orphanages and they were put to work in the factories. The average life span was 17 years of age and 10 years shorter if they worked in the mines.