"The Industrial Revolution, also known as the First Industrial Revolution, was a period of global transition of human economy towards more efficient and stable manufacturing processes that succeeded the Agricultural Revolution, starting from Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, that occurred during the period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840."
A period of rapid industrialization, resulting in significant social, economic, and technological changes, spanning from the mid-18th to mid-19th century.
Industrialization: The process of developing industries in an economy and transitioning from an agricultural society to a manufacturing-based society.
Factory System: A system of manufacturing that emerged during the Industrial Revolution in which goods were produced on a large scale in factories using machines, assembly lines, and specialized labor.
Textile Industry: The industry that produces cloth and clothing, which played a crucial role in the Industrial Revolution, especially in Great Britain.
Transportation Revolution: The period of rapid improvement and expansion of transportation systems during the 19th century, which included the development of railroads, canals, and steamships.
Formation of Cities: The shift from a rural, agricultural society to an urban, industrial society led to the emergence and growth of cities as centers of industrial activity.
Steam Power: The use of steam engines to power machinery and transportation, which significantly impacted the Industrial Revolution.
Coal and Iron Industries: The mining and refining of coal and iron were critical to the development of the industrial infrastructure, especially in Great Britain.
Division of Labor: The division of labor and specialization of tasks played a significant role in the efficiency and productivity of industrial production.
Scientific Method and Industrial Innovation: The development of the scientific method and its application to industry spurred technological innovation.
Economic Growth and Capitalism: The Industrial Revolution sparked unprecedented economic growth and the rise of capitalism as the dominant economic system.
Social Consequences of Industrialization: Industrialization led to significant social changes, including the rise of the working class, urbanization, and the formation of new social classes.
Imperialism and Globalization: The Industrial Revolution also had global consequences, including imperialism and the spread of industrialization and Western culture throughout the world.
Women in the Industrial Revolution: The Industrial Revolution created opportunities for women to enter the workforce, but it also reinforced patriarchal norms and social inequality.
Child Labor: The Industrial Revolution saw widespread use of child labor, which was eventually legislated against due to concerns about exploitation and poor working conditions.
Environmental Impact: As industrialization scaled up production, it also led to significant environmental degradation, including pollution and deforestation.
First Industrial Revolution (1760s: S): This was the period of mechanization, when previously manual methods of production were replaced by machines. It began in Britain and spread to other parts of Europe and North America. It was characterized by the invention of the spinning jenny, the power loom, the steam engine, and the cotton gin, which all greatly improved productivity.
Second Industrial Revolution (1870s: S): This was a period of even greater progress in technology and industry, particularly in transportation, communication, and manufacturing. Key innovations included the telephone, the electric light bulb, the internal combustion engine, and assembly line production techniques. This era also saw the emergence of large corporations and the rise of business tycoons such as John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie.
Third Industrial Revolution (1960s: Present): This period is sometimes referred to as the Digital Revolution or the Information Age. It is characterized by the advent of computer technology and the widespread use of digital communication systems. Major developments include the creation of the Internet, personal computers, mobile devices, and the growth of e-commerce. This era has seen a shift toward a more knowledge-based economy and the increasing importance of intellectual property.
"This transition included going from hand production methods to machines; new chemical manufacturing and iron production processes; the increasing use of water power and steam power; the development of machine tools; and the rise of the mechanized factory system."
"The textile industry was the first to use modern production methods and textiles became the dominant industry in terms of employment, value of output, and capital invested."
"On a structural level, the Industrial Revolution asked society the so-called social question, demanding new ideas for managing large groups of individuals."
"Visible poverty on one hand and growing population and materialistic wealth on the other caused tensions between the very rich and the poorest people within society."
"These tensions were sometimes violently released and led to philosophical ideas such as socialism, communism, and anarchism."
"The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain, and many of the technological and architectural innovations were of British origin."
"The development of trade and the rise of business were among the major causes of the Industrial Revolution."
"The Industrial Revolution influenced in some way almost every aspect of daily life."
"Some economists have said the most important effect of the Industrial Revolution was that the standard of living for the general population in the Western world began to increase consistently for the first time in history."
"GDP per capita was broadly stable before the Industrial Revolution and the emergence of the modern capitalist economy, while the Industrial Revolution began an era of per-capita economic growth in capitalist economies."
"Economic historians agree that the onset of the Industrial Revolution is the most important event in human history since the domestication of animals and plants."
"Eric Hobsbawm held that the Industrial Revolution began in Britain in the 1780s and was not fully felt until the 1830s or 1840s."
"Rapid industrialization first began in Britain, starting with mechanized textiles spinning in the 1780s, with high rates of growth in steam power and iron production occurring after 1800."
"An economic recession occurred from the late 1830s to the early 1840s when the adoption of the Industrial Revolution's early innovations, such as mechanized spinning and weaving, slowed as their markets matured."
"New technologies such as the electrical telegraph, widely introduced in the 1840s and 1850s, were not powerful enough to drive high rates of growth."
"Rapid economic growth began to occur after 1870, springing from a new group of innovations in what has been called the Second Industrial Revolution."
"These innovations included new steel-making processes, mass production, assembly lines, electrical grid systems, the large-scale manufacture of machine tools, and the use of increasingly advanced machinery in steam-powered factories."
"The development of trade and the rise of business were among the major causes of the Industrial Revolution."
"The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, with mechanized textile production spreading to Belgium, the United States, and later textiles in France."