The Industrial Revolution
The industrial revolution represents the time when home production of goods began to be transferred to factories powered by electricity and steam, which were fueled by oil and coal. This led to the mass production of commodities and their transportation in a faster way over long distances. There was also an increase in the demand for goods that were being supplied to markets (Vries, 1994). This period is an essential part of history and started in the late 18th Century. For almost the entire history of humankind, life had been based entirely on livestock and agriculture. Late in the century, food production increased significantly, supporting the expansion and sustainment of the human population. This also boosted trade.
Machines started to be used in farm work, and this meant that less human labor was required. Consequently, many people left their homes to go to more industrialized towns. The invention of the steam engine by John Watt, the English man, late in the 18th Century, was impactful. Before then, artisans made utensils using their own hands in small workshops. With the introduction of the machine, the small workshops of the artisans began to disappear since the engine was doing their work. This gave way to the establishment of industries.
The steam engine was also used in transport. Trains and boats were made using the steam engine. This facilitated trade and transportation between towns and cities. Several factors enabled all of the aforementioned. The availability of coal and steam as a source of energy, new inventions of machinery, change in the operations of industries that allowed specialization and the division of labor, the critical developments of the transport and communication sector, and the increased application of science in industries. There was also an improvement in the nonindustrial sphere in industries such as agricultural production, political organization, and social changes.
The industrial revolution is categorized into the first and the second one. The first industrial revolution began in Britain between 1760-1830 and was confined there. Coal and steam were majorly used as sources of energy and majored mostly in textile manufacturing (Allen, 2009). Beginning almost a century later and using electricity as the source of energy, the second industrial revolution focused production of steel and other lighter metals, and synthetic products such as plastic. There was also further development in tools, computers, and machines that led to the establishment of the automatic factory.
Events and results of the industrial revolutions had significant impacts that would forever change lives. There was an improvement in all sectors; the standards of living were raised with the population increasing. However, due to overexploitation, natural resources were diminished. Issues of environmental and air population also arose from the use of chemicals and fuels in the industries. There was also social oppression and hardships to workers in the era of the industrial revolution (Ashton, 1997).
References
Allen, R. C. (2009). The British industrial revolution in a global perspective. Cambridge University Press. https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=mc4LAQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT10&dq=the+industrial+revolution&ots=8FQGkr2R8D&sig=6QepQFp9fLAjKkX6a-VTLOWkENk&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=the%20industrial%20revolution&f=false
Ashton, T. S. (1997). The industrial revolution 1760-1830. OUP Catalogue. https://ideas.repec.org/b/oxp/obooks/9780192892898.html
De Vries, J. (1994). The industrial revolution and the industrious revolution. The Journal of Economic History, 54(2), 249-270. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-economic-history/article/industrial-revolution-and-the-industrious-revolution/CF3AE82F17442FEE4C3045507A5FF606