Key Causes
One of the causes of the Industrial Revolution was...
What is abundance of natural resources, technological innovations, growing population and labor force, or improved transportation systems
What is machine-based manufacturing?
A production process where the primary method of creating a product is through the use of machinery, utilizing automated tools and systems to transform raw materials into finished goods.
What is the steam engine?
A machine that uses the pressure of steam, created by heating water, to generate mechanical power by pushing a piston within a cylinder, essentially converting heat energy into usable work.
What is capitalism?
Capitalism is an economic system where private individuals own property and control businesses.
What is urbanization?
The process of making an area more urban.
A natual resource that contributed to the Industrial Revolution is...
Coal, Petroleum, or Iron Ore
Name a significant change in production during this time.
Factories started using more machines than man power.
What is the cotton gin?
A machine that separates cotton fibers from seeds.
What led to the rise of big businesses?
Technological innovation, economic policy, and the growth of urban markets.
How did factory work change people's lives?
Forcing large populations to migrate from rural areas to cities, leading to urbanization, often with poor living conditions, long working hours in dangerous environments for low wages, and a shift from family-based production to a system where individuals worked for a company, contributing to the rise of labor movements and social class divisions; while also enabling increased production of goods at lower costs, potentially improving access to consumer products for some people.
Transportation improvements impacted the Industrial Revolution by...
Connecting more of the United States together and allowing people to live farther away from work.
What did the rise of factories lead to?
Mass production of goods, rapid urbanization.
Describe interchangeable parts.
Interchangeable parts are identical or nearly identical parts that can be used in place of one another.
How did labor unions form?
Labor unions formed primarily as a response to the harsh working conditions and low wages brought about by the Industrial Revolution.
What was a consequence of child labor?
Children were exposed to harmful chemicals as well as dangerous working conditions. The children did not develop the way children should have.
What role did technological innovations play?
Enabling mass production of goods through new machinery, revolutionizing transportation methods like steam engines and railroads, and significantly increasing energy production capacity
How did manufacturing efficiency improve?
Advanced technology and replacing workers with machinery.
What was the telegraph used for?
The telegraph was used for communication over long distances, including for the military, diplomacy, and coordinating schedules.
What economic change resulted from the Industrial Revolution?
The primary economic change brought about by the Industrial Revolution was a shift from an agrarian economy to a manufacturing-based one, with mass production in factories replacing primarily hand-crafted goods, leading to increased production, lower prices, and a wider distribution of wealth, while also causing significant urbanization as people moved to cities for factory jobs.
Describe the rise of the middle class.
Increased economic prosperity, higher educational attainment, and a growing influence on society, primarily fueled by industrialization, urbanization, and changes in labor practices which created new job opportunities and fostered a more affluent lifestyle for many individuals.
Explain how the growing population influenced industrial growth.
Providing a larger pool of potential workers for factories.
Explain the shift from hand production to machine production.
Marked a historical period where goods were increasingly manufactured using machines in factories, replacing the traditional method of crafting items by hand, leading to significantly higher production volumes and lower costs due to increased efficiency and mechanization.
How did the assembly line change manufacturing?
The assembly line revolutionized manufacturing by increasing efficiency and productivity, reducing costs, and making goods more affordable.
Explain the impact of wealth inequality during this era.
Decreased social mobility, political polarization, economic instability, and a widening gap in access to opportunities like education and healthcare,
How did immigration affect American society?
Immigration has transformed American society in many ways, including economic growth, cultural diversity, and technological innovation.