The Industrial Revolution Flashcards
(49 cards)
Why did the industrial revolution start in Britain. Five reasons
- Population expolsion
- Raw materials fork. The colonies
- New farming methods
- Coal and iron industry
- Inventions
Why did the population rise in Britain
Fewer famines from food from colonies Decrease I. Death rate Rise in birth rate Plagued ended, Black Death gone Medical discoveries such as small pox vaccination
What were the disadvantages to the old farming method, open field system
Wasted time travelling between fields
Weeds spread easily
Animals destroyed crops
Farmers could not use new ideas
Who invented the four field system
Charles Townshend
What were the advantages of the four field system
Food supply increased as no field left fallow
Cattle did not have to be killed each winter because of more food
Spare food to feed cows
More meat available
Explain the enclosure act
Allowed rich landlords to enclose their land. Commons and crop growing lands were brought together in a single farm surrounded by a fence
Give the advantages and disadvantages to the enclosure act
Advantages…….
Reduces disease
More food
Higher rent for landlords
Disadvantages…….
Small farmers could not afford high rent
Labourers had little rights and there was less work available
Who invented selective breeding and what as it
Robert Bakewell invented selective breeding where he took the largest and strongest two animals and bred them. This produced bigger offspring. Used for lambs, cattle and horses
Why were factories built
Built to house big new machinery
Give five inventions and their inventors in the textile industry. Explain what each was for
John Kay- the flying shuttle (faster weaving of threads)
James Hargreaves - spinning jenny ( eight times quicker than spinning wheel)
Richard Arkwright - water frame ( spun hundreds of threads at a time, powered by a water wheel.)
Samuel Crompton - spinning mule ( faster spinning)
Edward Cartwright - power loom ( allowed cloth be made as quick as thread was spun.)
Who invented the steam engine
James watt
What was coal used for during the industrial revolution
Used to heat weaker to make steam
Used to power locomotives ( train puller) and steam ships
Burnt to make coke which was used to smelt iron ore.
Explain smelt
To separate a metal ex. Iron from the rock ex. Iron ore
Explain Coke
Coal without all the harmful gases
What were two dangers of mining during the industrial revolution
Flooding - Water coming into the mines but invention of steam engines allowed water to be pumped out
Explosions - carbon gas built up in mine and exploded when in contact with a flame. Davy safety lamp reduced risk of explosions
Explain collier
Coal miner
Where were factories built over time
They were built beside water at first to power the factories but then began to set up by coal mines.
What was used to smelt iron
Charcoal was used to extract the iron from the iron ore but this was an expensive method.
Coke was then used instead. The smelted iron was then beat with a hammer to get rid of impurities.
Finished iron in called Wright iron
Explain pig iron
Iron produced from smelting before impurities are removed
What were the advantages of steel
Cheaper than iron
Stronger
Less likely to crack, flexible
Describe living conditions for working class people during the industrial revolutions outside of work
Rapid increase in the size of cities caused overcrowding. Many families lived in a single room within larger houses.
Some factory owners built houses for workers close to their factory
People and families had little belongings and no clean water. Water was carried from polluted river nearby
There were open drains on the streets which were infested with rats.
Diet of the working class was bread, cheese, porridge and potatoes
What diseases were common around the industrial revolution for the working class people
Most common was typhoid (caused by using dirty water)
Tuberculosis was caused because of damp living conditions
In 1832 there was an outbreak of cholera in Britain
Many people died young because of living conditions and work
What did workers do on their Sunday off. Describe their leisure activities
Many people drank heavily to forget their harsh lives. They drank beer, gin or cider.
Other leisure activities included gambling, dogfighting and bare knuckle fighting
Soccer also became popular
Why did children of the working class not attend school
Very few working class children went to school as they worked in factories or mines. Families needed their wages to survive.
