The Industrial Revolution was one of the most important periods in British history. Beginning around 1750, it transformed Britain from a rural, agricultural society into the world's first industrial nation.
Why Britain?
Several factors made Britain the birthplace of industrialisation: - **Natural resources** - Coal and iron ore - **Agricultural revolution** - More food, larger population - **Scientific advances** - New inventions and discoveries - **Capital** - Wealthy merchants willing to invest - **Empire** - Raw materials and markets worldwide - **Political stability** - No major wars on British soil
Key Inventions
Textiles - **Spinning Jenny** (1764) - James Hargreaves - **Water Frame** (1769) - Richard Arkwright - **Power Loom** (1785) - Edmund Cartwright
Steam Power - **Steam Engine** (improved 1769) - James Watt - **Steam Locomotive** (1804) - Richard Trevithick - **Railways** (1825) - George Stephenson's Stockton and Darlington Railway
Iron and Steel - **Coke smelting** - Abraham Darby - **Bessemer Process** (1856) - Henry Bessemer
Social Changes
The Industrial Revolution caused massive social upheaval: - **Urbanisation** - People moved from villages to factory towns - **Working conditions** - Long hours, dangerous factories, child labour - **Population growth** - Better food led to more people - **Transport** - Canals, roads, and railways connected the country - **Class structure** - Rise of the middle class and industrial workers
Legacy
Britain became "the workshop of the world." By 1850, it produced more goods than any other country. The changes that began in Britain spread worldwide and continue to shape our lives today.