Impact of the Industrial Revolution

Breaker boys working in Ewen Breaker of Pennsylvania Coal Co. 1911. Photograph by Lewis Hine.

 

The Industrial Revolution had a dramatic impact on the lives of most Europeans. As improved agricultural techniques increased the amount of food that was produced, the population exploded during the late 1700s and throughout the 1800s. With more people and less land to farm, people moved to the cities in search of work in the factories. Women and children competed against men for jobs, working long hours for low pay. Home life for many was not much better in the slums of the expanding cities. Not all of the effects of the Industrial Revolution were bad. The middle class grew and educational opportunities expanded as a result of reforms. Watch this presentation to see what other impacts the Industrial Revolution had on people's lives. Click the player to begin.

Download a printable version of the interactivity.

Impact of the Industrial Revolution Review

Now that you have explored the impact of the Industrial Revolution, it is time to review your knowledge and practice what you have learned. In this non-graded activity, drag and drop the term to the blank that correctly answers the question or completes the statement. Click the player to get started.