Industrialization Case Study Manchester

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Industrialization Case Study Manchester

Industrialization: Case Study Manchester – Section 2

The Industrial Revolution eventually led to a better quality of life for most people
It also caused immense human suffering as well - it was a mixed blessing

Industrialization Changes Ways of Life
Growth of Industrial Cities

For centuries most Europeans had lived in rural areas
The growth of the factory system – manufacturing goods in a central location – brought waves of jobseekers to cities and towns
Most urban areas doubled in population
This period was known as Urbanization – city building and the movement of people to cities
Factories developed in clusters because entrepreneurs built them near sources of energy
Britains capital London was the country’s most important city
London became Europe’s largest city – population about 1 million by 1800
Large population provide a large labor pool and market for new industry
Other Industrial cities in England include: Manchester, Birmingham and Sheffield

Living Conditions

No plans, no sanitary codes and no building codes controlled the growth of England’s cities
Lacked adequate housing, education and police protection for all the new people in the cities
Garbage was everywhere à Workers lived in dark, dirty shelters, whole families crowded in one bedroom
Sickness was widespread
Cholera spread throughout the slums of many industrial cities of Great Britain
Average life span for working class people – who worked in the factories was 17
Compared to 38 for rural areas

Working Conditions

Factory workers wanted to keep their machines running for as many hours a day as possible
The average worker spent 14 hours a day at the job – 6 days a week
Industry posed new dangers in work
Factories were seldom well lit or clean
Machines injured workers in many ways – boilers may explode burning workers, limbs might get caught in machines, pour air quality affected breathing and lungs
There were no federal government programs to provide for aid incase of injury
Coal mines were the most dangerous

Class tension

Not everyone in the cities lived miserably
Rich merchants and factory owners built nice homes in the suburbs
Most of the wealth from the Industrial Revolution went into the pockets of factory owners, shippers, and merchants
A new social class emerged during this time period Middle Class – A social class of skilled workers, professionals, businesspeople and wealthy farmers
The new middle class transformed the social structure of Great Britain
Now some middle class people grew wealthier than the landowning aristocrats who had made up the upper class
Gradually a larger middle class – neither rich nor poor- emerged

This included an upper middle class of : Government Employees, doctors, lawyers, and managers of factories, mines and shops
A lower middle class: consisted of factory overseers and skilled workers such as tool makers, mechanical drafters and printers
1800-1850 poor workers saw little improvement in their own living and working conditions
Machines replaced some workers
Luddites destroyed machines they thought were taking their job

Positive Effects of the Industrial Revolution

Despite the problems that followed industrialization – the Industrial Revolution had a number of positive effects

It created jobs for workers
It contributed to the wealth of the nation
It fostered technological progress and invention
It greatly increased production of goods and raised the standard of living
It provided for hope of improvement on peoples lives

Other benefits

Healthier diets
Better housing
And cheaper, mass-produced clothing
Expanded educational opportunities as well because of the need for engineers

Middle class and upper class prospered immediately
For the workers it took longer but their lives eventually improved
Labor eventually won higher wages, shorter hours, and better working conditions
Long term effects of the Industrial Revolution are still evident

Consumer goods are affordable and available
Living and working conditions are much improved over the 19th century

Industrialization can lead to the over use of natural resources and the abuse of environment

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