Where did the Industrial Revolution start and why it begin there?
The Industrial Revolution began first in Britain in the 1700s. Historians have identified several reasons for why the Industrial Revolution began first in Britain, including: the effects of the Agricultural Revolution, large supplies of coal, geography of the country, a positive political climate, and a vast colonial empire. Show
The next main reason for why Britain was the first to industrialize was the large supplies of coal present in the country. Coal was a necessary ingredient in the industrial process as it fueled the steam engines that were used in trains, ships and all other sorts of machinery. Not only did Britain have large supplies of the resource, but it was also easily obtainable. Unlike other European nations, coal in Britain was relatively close to the surface and was therefore relatively easy for miners to find and extract it. The mining of coal became even easier after the invention of the steam engine by Thomas Newcomen, which was originally used to pump water out of coal mines.
The next major reason for Britain being the first country to industrialize was the political climate of the time. In the 1700s, Britain had a stable government after having gone through civil war and revolution in the decades before. In contrast, France underwent its own revolution in the late 1780s and 1790s (French Revolution), meaning it was not concerned with industrialization and was instead focused on its own internal conflict. As well, the British government was open to the ideas of laissez-faire capitalism which were necessary for industrialization to occur. For example, the British government promoted free trade policies with its neighbouring countries which helped create markets for British produced goods. Also, the government implemented the Enclosure Acts, as part of the Enclosure Movement, which promoted private property, and allowed wealthy land owners to increase their farms. This then led to the mass movement of smaller farmers to towns and cities in search of work. Finally, the British government supported other aspects of capitalism, which helped entrepreneurs to create wealth by owning and operating factories and mines. For example, in the early years of the Industrial Revolution, the government allowed child labor and did not restrict owners in terms of rules and regulations, such as: minimum wage laws or worker rights. As such, the political climate created a system in which wealthy business-minded people were able to easily start companies.
In conclusion, historians have identified several reasons for the development of industrialization in Britain, and for why Britain was such an ideal spot for the Industrial Revolution to begin. These reasons include: the effects of the Agricultural Revolution, large supplies of coal, geography of the country, a positive political climate, and a vast colonial empire. They all combined to allow Britain to have the necessary conditions that caused industrialization to flourish. INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION RESOURCESAdam Smith - PowerPoint with Cloze NotesAdam Smith - Reading, Questions and KeyKarl Marx - PowerPoint with Cloze Notes (25 Slides/Pages on his life and ideas!)Industrial Revolution Child Labor - Questions and Key (8 Pages)Industrial Revolution Child Labor - PowerPoint with Cloze Notes (64 Total Slides)Industrial Revolution in the USA - PowerPoint with Notes Copy (74 Total Slides)Industrial Revolution Impacts - PowerPoint with Notes Copy (62 Total Slides)Industrial Revolution Causes - PowerPoint with Notes Copy (44 Total Slides)Industrial Revolution Working Conditions - PowerPoint with Notes Copy (36 Total Slides)Industrial Revolution Why Britain Was First - PowerPoint with Notes Copy (54 Total Slides)Industrial Revolution Living Conditions - PowerPoint with Notes Copy (30 Total Slides)Industrial Revolution Inventions and Inventors - PowerPoint with Notes CopyWhy did the Industrial Revolution start from?Capitalism spurred the Industrial Revolution because industrialization took great work and heavy investment from common people and not the government. There were several wealthy entrepreneurs in Great Britain in the 18th Century, thus this is where the Industrial Revolution had its start.
Where did the Industrial Revolution begin and why?Most historians place the origin of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain in the middle decades of the 18th century. In the British Isles and most of Europe at this time, most social activity took place in small and medium-sized villages.
Why did the Industrial Revolution start in Europe?The industrial revolution in Europe didn't happen overnight but only spread over the continent very gradually. One of the triggers was the unusually high growth in the population which set in around the middle of the 18th century and produced a gigantic reservoir of workers.
When did the Industrial Revolution begin?The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, that occurred during the period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840.
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