INDUSTIAL REVOLUTION

A Story of Change: From Fields to Factories and Beyond

Once upon a time in Britain, long before the hum of machines filled the air, people lived in
small villages and worked on the land. Life was simple. Families grew their own food, spun
their own cloth, and made goods by hand in what was called a farming economy and
cottage industries. People worked long hours but had control over their time and skills.

But in the mid-1700s, the world began to change. This change became known as the
Industrial Revolution — a time when hand production was replaced by machines, and
factories and cities began to grow rapidly. Steam engines powered machines, coal lit fires,
and iron built strong structures. It began in Britain, a country made wealthy by its powerful
navy, colonies, and the wealth from the transatlantic slave trade. Money earned from the
slave trade helped fund the invention of machines and the building of factories.

Life Transformed

The Industrial Revolution brought enormous changes. The economy shifted from farming
to industry. Social changes were everywhere. People moved from villages to cities in a
movement called urbanization. Cities grew fast, often too fast, and living conditions
became overcrowded and dirty. Poor families lived in cramped rooms with no running
water or toilets. Diseases spread quickly.

Men, women, and children worked in dangerous conditions in factories and mines.
Children as young as five worked long hours in
spinning mills and coal mines. They were small
enough to crawl into tight spaces and were paid
less than adults. This child labour was cruel and
unsafe. Many children were injured or even died
while working.
Standing Up for Rights

Over time, workers began to resist unfair treatment. In the countryside, farm workers
fought against new machines that took away their jobs. They destroyed them in what
became known as the Swing Riots. In the cities, workers called the Luddites smashed
factory machines they believed were stealing their livelihoods.

Workers started to organize and demand better conditions. They formed working-class
organisations and trade unions to stand up against low wages,
long hours, and unsafe working environments. One of the key
early leaders of the labour movement was Robert Owen, a
factory owner and social reformer who believed that workers
should be treated fairly. He improved conditions in his own mills
and became known for his ideas about cooperative communities. Owen helped inspire the
creation of the Grand National Consolidated Trades Union, formed in 1833, one of the first
national attempts to unite workers across different industries. Although early trade unions
faced strong resistance from factory owners and the government — who feared they would
cause unrest — they laid the foundation for the workers’ rights and protections many enjoy
today.

Britain’s economy grew more powerful than ever. It became a leading industrial country,
and other Western European economies followed. However, this wealth often came at a
high cost for the working class and for people in the colonies.

A Changing Southern Africa

While Britain was growing richer, big changes were happening in Southern Africa by 1860.
Many different African kingdoms and communities lived there, but the British and Dutch
settlers were expanding their control. A political settlement was forming across the region.
[You may refer to a map showing the Cape Colony, Natal, the Boer Republics, and African
kingdoms such as the Zulu Kingdom.]
On the east coast, the British colony of Natal needed
workers for its sugar plantations. African labour was not
enough, so the British brought indentured labourers from
India starting in 1860. These workers signed contracts to
work for five years in exchange for food, shelter, and a
small wage. Life was hard. They lived in poor conditions, were often mistreated, and had no
rights.

More Indians, called "Passenger Indians," came by their own choice after 1869 to start
businesses and farms. These communities helped build the culture and economy of Natal,
even as they faced discrimination.

Britain had also taken over India as a colony, using its people and resources to support its
empire. Sugar was in high demand in Britain for tea, cakes, and sweets. This demand
helped fuel the importation of indentured labourers to work in brutal conditions.

The Diamond Rush in Kimberley

Then came the discovery that would change South Africa forever. In 1867, diamonds were
found near Kimberley. People rushed to the area, dreaming of riches. Diamonds were
valuable because they were rare, beautiful, and desired by the wealthy.

At first, the rule was "one person, one claim." Anyone could dig for diamonds. Many black
claimholders worked hard and owned their own plots. But soon, large companies started to
take over. Deep digging required expensive equipment and large teams. Small miners
couldn’t compete.
Wealthy men like Cecil John Rhodes and Barney Barnato bought up the smaller claims. In
1888, Rhodes created De Beers
Consolidated Mines Limited, forming a
monopoly that controlled most of the
world’s diamond supply. De Beers regulated the price of diamonds by limiting supply,
making diamonds even more valuable.

As mines grew deeper and more dangerous, black workers were paid little and had to live in
closed compounds. The riches of the land went to a few powerful men, while many workers
remained poor.
 THE MINERAL REVOLUTION

Diamond Mining – Kimberly, Northern Cape, 1871

Thabo and the Deep Holes of Kimberley

Thabo was only ten years old when his father left their farm in the Eastern Cape. It was 1871, and a
shiny new discovery had spread across the land: diamonds had been found in Kimberley. The
news travelled fast, and thousands of people rushed there, hoping to become rich.

Thabo’s father joined the journey. When he arrived in Kimberley, he was shocked. There were
tents, wagons, and people everywhere — digging with picks and shovels, searching for diamonds
in the rocky ground. The place was wild and full of excitement, but also full of dust, danger, and
hard work.

As more diamonds were found, the mines became deeper and harder to dig. At first, people
worked in small claims using simple tools, but soon wealthy businessmen took over. One of the
most powerful was a man named Cecil John Rhodes. He started buying up small claims and
created a giant mining company called De Beers Consolidated Mines.

Rhodes became extremely rich and powerful. He used new technology, like steam-powered drills
and iron drill bits, to dig even deeper. This allowed him to mine more diamonds than anyone else
— but it also made the work more dangerous for the miners.

Thabo’s father got a job in one of these deep mines. The working conditions were terrible. Miners
were not allowed to leave the mine areas and had to live in compounds — crowded, dirty, and
controlled spaces surrounded by fences. They were watched by guards to make sure they didn’t
steal diamonds. Sometimes, workers were even searched after each shift.
Workers were paid very low wages, and they had to sign contracts that kept them away from their
families for months. They worked long hours in hot, dusty tunnels, with little protection. Accidents
were common, and many miners got sick or injured.

Thabo’s father also noticed something else — many of the landlords, who owned land around
Kimberley, started to sell or rent it to mine owners. Black families like Thabo’s lost access to land
they once used to farm and raise cattle. Slowly, more African people were pushed off their land
and forced to work for wages in the mines.

By the time Thabo visited Kimberley years later, the mine known as the Big Hole had become one
of the deepest hand-dug holes in the world. It was a symbol of great wealth — but also of the
suffering and inequality that came with the Mineral Revolution.

Concept Explanation
Kimberley Town where diamonds were discovered in 1871.
Cecil John Rhodes Powerful businessman, founder of De Beers, owned most of the diamond mines.
De Beers Major diamond mining company that dominated the industry.
Drill bits and machinery Tools used to dig deeper mines faster, often dangerous.
Compounds Enclosed areas where African workers were forced to live under strict control.
Working conditions Long hours, low pay, high risk, and separation from families.
People who gained wealth by selling or renting land to mine owners, while
Landlords
many black families lost their land.

Gold – Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 1886

Thabo and the Golden City

After working for years in the Kimberley diamond mines, Thabo’s father returned home tired and
thin. “Things are changing again,” he told Thabo. “They’ve found gold in the Witwatersrand —
near a place called Johannesburg.”

It was 1886, and the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand (meaning "ridge of white waters")
sparked another rush. This time, the rush was even bigger than the one for diamonds. Thousands
of people flooded into the area — prospectors, businessmen, labourers, and fortune-seekers.

Now 17 years old, Thabo decided to go see this “golden city” for himself. When he arrived, he
couldn’t believe his eyes. Where there had once been empty grasslands, there were now dusty
roads, wagons, tents, and mine shafts everywhere. Johannesburg, a brand-new town, had
appeared almost overnight.

Thabo quickly found work in one of the deep gold mines. But he learned that gold mining was
different — and even more dangerous — than diamond mining. The gold was buried deep
underground, in hard rock. Mine owners had to use blasting, stamp mills, and crushing machines
to reach it. It was expensive and needed a lot of cheap black labour to be profitable.

To control workers, mine owners introduced the compound system, just like in Kimberley — but
even stricter. African men were recruited from all over southern Africa and brought to
Johannesburg. They had to sign contracts, leave their families behind, and live in crowded
compounds, surrounded by fences and watched by guards. They worked for long hours in hot,
dark tunnels with little protection.

White workers, mostly from Europe, were paid more and given better jobs, while black workers
did the hardest and most dangerous tasks. Inequality in the workplace was clear.

Mine owners — many of them Randlords, rich businessmen who controlled the gold industry —
became incredibly wealthy. The gold from the Witwatersrand made South Africa one of the richest
countries in the world in terms of gold reserves.

But this wealth came at a cost. Many workers died from rockfalls, gas explosions, or lung diseases
from the dust. Thabo’s friend Sipho was one of them. After that, Thabo began to speak out, saying
that black workers deserved better pay and safer conditions.

He also saw how the gold rush was changing South Africa. Railways were built, new towns were
created, and black landownership was restricted. Laws were introduced to control African
workers and force more of them into the mines.

Thabo knew that gold had brought big changes — cities, money, and power — but also suffering
and injustice. As he looked over the growing city of Johannesburg, he realised that the Mineral
Revolution had changed the land forever.

Concept Explanation
Witwatersrand (1886) Gold discovered near Johannesburg, starting the gold rush.
Johannesburg Grew quickly from mining camp to major city due to gold mining.
Deep-level mining Gold buried deep in hard rock, requiring machines and blasting.
 Concept Explanation
Compound system Controlled housing for African workers, keeping wages low.
Randlords Wealthy white mine owners who dominated the gold industry.
Railways and urban growth Developed to support mining and transport goods.
Racial inequality Black workers were paid less and given dangerous jobs.

YEAR EVENT / DEVELOPMENT Notes

1867 💎 Diamonds discovered near the Vaal River
 Triggers first mineral rush
 Thousands move to Kimberley
1871 ⛏ Kimberley diamond fields opened
 Thousands of individual diggers work by hand.
 "Big Hole" begins forming
1880s 💼 Cecil John Rhodes begins buying diamond claims
 Forms De Beers Consolidated Mines
 Compound system begins
1886 🪙 Gold discovered in the Witwatersrand
(Johannesburg)
 Triggers second major rush
 Johannesburg begins to grow rapidly
1890s 🏗 Deep-level gold mining begins
 Expensive equipment used: drills, blasting.
 Need for cheap black labour increases
1890– 🚧 Compounds & pass laws used to control workers
1900  Harsh, segregated conditions
 Urbanisation increases

🔑 Summary of Key Impacts:

 Economic Boom: South Africa becomes a global mining power.

 Urban Growth: Johannesburg and Kimberley expand rapidly.
 Labour Changes: Introduction of contract labour, compound system, and pass laws.
 Social Division: Start of racial segregation in workplaces and housing.
 Land Loss: Many African families forced off land and into wage labour.