ICSE History

Class – 8

The Industrial
Revolution & Rise of
Imperialism
Story of Industrial Revolution
Pre-Industrial Revolution
Introduction
• Agriculture: Main occupation during Medieval
Period
• Villages were self-sufficient
• Goods made at home using simple tools
• Domestic system of production
• Goods sold locally
Pre-Industrial Revolution
Overseas Trade & Rise of Middle Class
• Discovery of new lands
• Growth of overseas trade and commerce
• Towns and cities expanded
• Rise of a wealthy middle class
• Increased demand for luxury goods
Pre-Industrial Revolution
Limitations of Domestic System & ‘Putting-Out’ System
• Domestic production was too slow and inadequate
• Introduction of the Putting-Out System
• Merchants gave raw materials to artisans
• Finished goods sold in faraway markets
Pre-Industrial Revolution
Payment & Beginning of Factory System
• Artisans worked from home or small workshops
• Got wages from merchants
• Beginning of Factory System
Industrial Revolution
• Began in mid-18th century in England
• A time of remarkable inventions
• Led to an economic revolution
• Changed the society and economy of England and
other countries
Industrial Revolution
Meaning of Industrial Revolution
• A radical transformation in industry
• Changed methods, techniques, production &
distribution
• Known as the Industrial Revolution
Features of the Industrial Revolution
• Domestic system was replaced by the factory
system
• Manual labour was replaced by machines
• Shift from small-scale to large-scale production
Features of the Industrial Revolution
• Mass manufacture in factories, not homes
• Machines replaced simple tools
• Factories were owned by capitalists – rich
merchants
Causes of the Industrial Revolution in
England
Why Did the Industrial Revolution Start in England?
• Surplus Capital
• Stable Government
• Agricultural Revolution
• Availability of Cheap Labour
• Coal & Iron Resources
• Major Inventions
• Naval Supremacy
Causes of the Industrial Revolution
Surplus Capital & Stable Government
• Overseas trade → Economic growth
• Rich merchants invested in factories
• England had a stable and supportive government
Causes of the Industrial Revolution
Agricultural Revolution & Cheap Labour
• Enclosures & new machines → more crops
• Unemployment of farmers → migration to cities
• Cheap labour easily available for factories
Causes of the Industrial Revolution
Coal and Iron – Natural Resources
• England had abundant coal and iron
• Used in machines, tools, and buildings
• Many industries set up in northern England
Causes of the Industrial Revolution
Naval Supremacy – Power at Sea
• England had the strongest navy
• Controlled many colonies
• Colonies = raw materials + markets for finished
goods
Causes of the Industrial Revolution
Major inventions
• Political and social stability in England encouraged
creativity
• Mechanization of the cotton industry marked the
first phase
• Lancashire (Manchester) became the centre of
cotton manufacturing
• Revolutionary inventions followed in many fields
Causes of the Industrial Revolution
Major inventions in Textile
• Spinning Jenny – James Hargreaves
• Flying Shuttle – John Kay
• Water Frame – Richard Arkwright
• Power Loom – Edmund Cartwright
• Cotton Gin – Eli Whitney
• All improved textile production speed and quality
Causes of the Industrial Revolution
Major inventions in Power & Energy
• Newcomen’s Pump – early steam power for mines
• James Watt’s Steam Engine – key to running
machines and locomotives
• Steam power became the backbone of
industrial
factories
Causes of the Industrial Revolution
Major inventions in Transport & Communication
• Steam Locomotive – George Stephenson
• Road building technique – John Macadam
• Incandescent Lamp – Thomas Edison
• Telephone – Alexander Graham Bell
• Telegraph – Guglielmo Marconi
• Helped improve connectivity and industrial growth
Spread of the Industrial Revolution
 Started in England, then spread to:
 France, Germany, USA, Japan
 Each country industrialized at a different pace
 A continuing process, not a one-time event
Industrialization in Europe & USA
• Germany: Rapid growth after unification (1871)
• Became a leading industrial power in Europe
• USA: Surpassed Britain in iron and steel industry
• Became a global industrial leader
Russia & Japan – Late Starters
• Russia: Slow progress, picked up post 1917 Revolution
• Japan: First Asian country to industrialize
Impact of the Industrial Revolution
• Transformed society and economy of the West
• Huge shift in living and working conditions
• Widened gap between rich and poor
Impact of the Industrial Revolution
Economic Impacts
• Growth of towns and cities – Urbanization
• Rise of factory system
• Work divided – Division of labour
• Trade & commerce expanded with steamships
• Industrial nations competed for colonies
Impact of the Industrial Revolution
Social Impacts
• Social inequality grew – rich vs poor
• Workers’ living conditions worsened (slums,
disease)
• Long hours, low wages, no job security
• Women & children worked in mines/factories
Impact of the Industrial Revolution
Rise of Socialism
• Workers were exploited by capitalists
• Socialism emerged as a reaction
• Called for classless society with no private
ownership
Impact of the Industrial Revolution
Political Effects
• Capitalist class became powerful
• Influenced the British Parliament
• Workers formed trade unions
Impact of the Industrial Revolution
Trade Unions – Workers Fight Back
• Workers protested against exploitation
• Formed trade unions
• Fought for: better wages, working hours, safety
• Laws passed to protect workers
What is Imperialism?
• Imperialism = extending a nation’s power &
influence
• Done through military force, colonization, or
economic domination
• A powerful nation takes control of a weaker one
• Can be partial or complete control
Why Did Imperialism Grow?
 European power & prestige = number of colonies
 Industrial Revolution created need for:
 Raw materials
 New markets
 Investment of surplus capital
Why Did Imperialism Grow?
Scramble for Colonies
• By late 19th century, almost all of Asia & Africa
colonized
• Fierce competition among imperial powers
• Led to wars, tensions, and finally World War I
(1914)
Why Did Imperialism Grow?
British Imperialism in India
• 19th century: Britain conquered almost whole of
India
• India became the "Jewel in the British Crown"
• Helped Britain grow into an economic giant
Why Did Imperialism Grow?
Effects of Imperialism in India
• India was turned into a colonial economy
• British drained Indian wealth
• Enslaved the nation for 200 years