THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

England

Begin these notes on p. 77 in your spiral

THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

This was a time when

mechanics (industry) began to

replace agriculture as the

main basis of the economy.

In other words, most of the

country’s economy (money)

came from mechanically

produced items instead of

items grown on farms or

produced by hand.

The Industrial Revolution was a time of change in Europe marked by:

• the introduction of power-driven machinery

• the growth of factories

• a huge increase in the production of goods

• a shift from a rural, agricultural society to a more urban one

England changed from an agricultural

society

to an industrial one.

Factories caused major air and

water pollution. They burned

coal for fuel source.

People moved

from the

countryside to

the cities to

work in the

factories.

This created slum areas

in the cities where

industry was located.

Children as young as

four worked in

the factories.

Many factories dealt with textiles where the workers (including children) had to use huge machines and looms.

Many children were injured or killed

working in factories. There was no

worker’s compensation; no welfare.

THE VICTORIAN AGE

London was the

largest city in the

world.

The era is

named for

Queen Victoria

of England.

Most people worked in factories 12 hours a

day for pennies. (about $5 a week now).

They lived in terrible conditions.

It was a time when the rich

became richer and the poor

became poorer.

-90% poor factory workers

-5% middle class craftsmen

and merchants

-5% rich factory owners and

land owners

• Sanitation was poor, so there was

much disease.

• There was a ditch in the middle of

the street (open sewer) which ran to

the river with the waste.

There was no public education.

Only those who could pay went to

school.

WORK HOUSES AND POORHOUSES

People were sent to

workhouses and

poorhouses for minor

crimes and/or not

paying debts.

These were

terrible

places

provided by

the

government. People were

mistreated,

overworked and

underfed. They

were cold and damp

in winter.

Workhouses were the same as prisons

Officials who ran the workhouses were often

corrupt.

They ate gruel – a thin oatmeal flavored with

grease. Sometimes they got

some moldy cheese or

stale bread.

Entire families would go

to the workhouse/

poorhouse.

People could work off their debts by working

each day to reduce the amount they owed by

a set amount (usually a few cents a day).

Orphans were sent to workhouses to pay for

their food and shelter.

49,000 children under 16 were in

workhouses during the 1800’s.

People who could not support

themselves could go to

workhouses voluntarily, but most

would rather live on the streets.

CHARLES DICKENS

-Born February 7, 1812 in

Portsmouth, England

-Died June 9, 1870 and

buried in Westminster Abbey

• Educated while his family could afford it (not consistently)

• Age 12 went to work in a shoe polish factory because his father was in debtor’s prison.

• REFORMIST WRITER – wrote about the bad things in English society so change would occur and improve life for the poor.

• Married and had 10 kids

As a young man, Charles Dickens witnessed a decline in the traditional celebration of Christmas in England.

Because of the Industrial Revolution, many employers wouldn’t even give their employees Christmas Day off.

A Christmas Carol, along with several other Christmas books by Dickens, helped revive the holiday customs.

Some people even started calling Dickens “The Man Who Discovered Christmas.”

He was well known and liked as

an author during his life time.

He raised money to help people in need by

reading

A Christmas Carol at charity events.

Many characters in his books were

real people from his life with

different names.

Scrooge’s story brought about other changes too. For example, because of the book:

• a home for disabled children was started• a factory owner

began closing his factory every Christmas and giving turkeys to of all his employees