Industrial Revolution

assembly line

This is where a large number of products are made one step at a time as they pass down a line. Using an assembly line allows for the mass production of products at a cheaper price than trying to build an entire product one at a time.

Labor Unions

Labor unions are large groups of workers, usually in a similar trade or profession, that join together to protect the workers' rights. The Industrial Revolution was a time when national labor unions began to form in the United States. The unions organized strikes and negotiated with employers for better working conditions and pay. During the Industrial Revolution this wasn't always a peaceful process. When employers tried to replace striking workers, the workers sometimes fought back. In some cases, things became so violent that the government had to step in and restore order. In 1935, the National Labor Relations Act was passed that guaranteed the right for private citizens to form a union.

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 1900's, labor unions and new laws began to create a safer working environment. Many workers had to work 12 hour days, six days a week. They didn't get time off or vacations. If they got sick or were injured on the job and missed work, they were often fired. Factories were often very hot during the summer and freezing during the winter. A lot of the facilities where people worked were unsafe. Typically the lighting was bad making it difficult to see. Many factories and mines were filled with dust that not only made it difficult to breathe but could cause diseases including cancer. Factories hired children because they worked for low wages. In some cases, they hired small children because they could get fit into places adults couldn't. Children were subjected to the same long work weeks and poor conditions as adults. Many children were killed or got sick working in factories.

Where did it start?

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.

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.

How long did it last?

The Industrial Revolution lasted for over 100 years. After beginning in Britain in the late 1700's it spread to Europe and the United States.

What was the Industrial Revolution?

The Industrial Revolution was a time when the manufacturing of goods moved 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.

Communication

The ability to communicate across long distances improved dramatically during the Industrial Revolution. It began with the invention of the electrical telegraph by Samuel Morse in 1844. This system allowed for messages to be transmitted much quicker and cheaper than old methods. In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone which changed the way people communicated forever.

U.S. Industrial Revolution

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 1800's, the United States had become the most industrialized nation in the world.

Transportation

Before the Industrial Revolution, transportation relied on animals (like horses pulling a cart) and boats. Travel was slow and difficult. It could take months to travel across the United States in the early 1800's. The Industrial Revolution brought about the need for improved transportation. Large amounts of goods needed to be shipped from factories to stores throughout the country. One of the first successful steamboats was developed by Robert Fulton in 1807. Steamboats were soon used to carry goods and passengers along rivers throughout the United States. In order to make better use of water transportation, canals were built to connect rivers, lakes, and oceans. The most important canal built in the United States was the Erie Canal. The Erie Canal ran 363 miles and connected Lake Erie to the Hudson River and the Atlantic Ocean. It was completed in 1825 and became a source of commerce and travel from the western states to New York. The steam locomotive was invented in the early 1800's. Trains became one of the most important modes of transportation during the Industrial Revolution. the First Transcontinental Railroad across the United States was completed in 1869. By the 1870's, a person could travel from New York to California in just a few days. Letters, goods, and packages could also be transported much faster. Before the Industrial Revolution, roads were often poorly maintained dirt roads. During the Industrial Revolution, the government became more involved in building and maintaining good roads. A new process called the "macadam" process was used to create smooth gravel roads.