History 102: The Industrial Revolution

Why Britain?

Why then?

 

Causes of the Industrial Revolution in Britain


1. Expanding Atlantic economy and British Empire

2. Natural conditions favorable

·       Coal

·       Iron

·       Waterways

3. Agricultural Revolution, 1700-1800

·       Jethro Tull, 1674-1741

o      First Modern Farmer

o      Invented seed drill

o      Seed Drill

·       Enclosures

·       Crop rotation system

·       Improvement became the goal

Led to:

·       More efficient food production

·       Cheaper food

·       More disposable income

·       Less workers needed in rural areas

4. Political conditions

·       Constitutional Monarchy

·       Relative Stability

·       Economic growth

5. Legal conditions

·       No internal tarrifs

·       Patent law encouraged invention

6. Financial Conditions

·       Effective central bank (1694)

·       well-develop credit markets

·       Plenty of capital

7. Proto-industry

·       Putting-out system or cottage industry

·       Division of labor

8. Major technological advances

·       Cotton is king!

o      1760s - James Hargreaves invented Spinning Jenny

o      1760s - Richard Arkwright invented Water Frame

o      1779 - Samuel Crompton invented the Spinning Mule

 

·       1770s: Arkwright also developed the Factory System:

o      One roof

o      Central source of power

o      Division of Labor

8. Major technological advances (contd.)

·       Steam Power:

o      1698: Thomas Savery invented a steam engine

o      1712: Thomas Newcomen invented a steam engine

o      1765: James Watt greatly improved Newcomen engine

o      1820s: Railroads: George Stephenson’s Rocket