Defining the Industrial Revolution

Britain – The Consequences of the Industrial Revolution, 1700-1900

In this course, Emma Griffin (University of East Anglia) explores the Industrial Revolution in Britain and its social consequences. In the first module we look at what the Industrial Revolution was. We’ll then move on to examine technological change as a specific component of industrialisation. After this, we’ll explore orthodox historical views on the consequences of the Industrial Revolution in Britain. In the next two modules we’ll look at the revisionist view of the social consequences of industrialisation for men and women. In the final module, we’ll explore another consequence of the Industrial Revolution - the changes to the environment and peoples' connection to the environment.

Defining the Industrial Revolution

In this module, we look at what the Industrial Revolution was. Firstly, we’ll explore what pre-industrial society looked liked and how the economy functioned before mass production. We’ll then turn to look at the components of the Industrial Revolution. These were: (i) the use of new technology to mass produce products; (ii) the worldwide trade in commodities to fuel manufacturing; and (iii) the increased use of fossil fuels to meet energy needs.