Module 7: Industrial Revolution and Its Impact

In this module, you will discover the major technological changes which sparked the Industrial Revolution in England and then spread throughout Europe. As a result of these changes, you will see how the labor force and working conditions changed for the working class.

Child laborers in Macon, Georgia, 1909

Generally, working conditions deteriorated during the Industrial Revolution which led workers to create labor unions and go on strike. Other people created new economic theories like socialism and communism as a solution to these issues.

With so much focus on producing as many goods as possible, European countries looked once again to expand their territories in their search for raw materials. However, not all areas of the world welcomed the European powers and resisted through armed conflict as well as social and intellectual movements.

Pre-Assessment

Throughout this module, you will meet many great thinkers of the Industrial Revolution who wrote important philosophical treatises or invented new technologies. These trailblazers had a lasting impact on the world. In this non-graded interactivity, see how many of these people you are already familiar with. Click the player to begin.

 

 

Key Vocabulary

To view the definitions for these key vocabulary terms, visit the course glossary.

Adam Smith	Enclosure Movement	Louis Pasteur
Boxer Rebellion	entrepreneur	missionary
capital	factory system	nationalism
capitalism	Friedrich Engels	proletariat
collective bargaining	Henry Bessemer	protectorate
colony	imperialism	raw materials
communism	Indian National Congress	socialism
cottage industry	Industrial Revolution	sphere of influence
East India Company	James Hargreaves	strike
economics	James Watt	suffrage
Edward Jenner	Karl Marx	urbanization
Eli Whitney	labor union