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.

Image of children working in a mill

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