Hardships of Early Industrial Life

The Industrial Revolution brought great riches but also misery. Many people moved from small villages to towns and cities. The movement of large numbers of people to citieis is called urbanization. In the cities, mosty people were poor, living in crowded buildings. There were no sewers. Garbage rotted in the streets and diseases spread quickly.

 

The heart of the new industrial city was the factory. Men, women, and children worked hard in the factories 12 to 16 hours a day for only a few cents an hour. The work was boring, and the machines were dangerous. If workers were sick or injured, they lost their jobs. Children worked as hard as adults, for even lower wages. Parents let their children work because the money children earned was needed to support their families. Eventually, however, Parliament passed laws to improve working conditions.

 

Historians have debated whether the Industrial Revolution was a blessing or a curse. the Industrial Revolution created hardships for may people. Low pay, unemplyment, and horrible living conditions caused social problems. Still, the Industrial Revolution had many positive effects. Factories created new jobs. More goods became available. Railroads made it posssible to visit family members in other towns. The middle class, especially merchants and investors, benefited financially. Most important, opportunities for all classes of people increased.

 

THE NEW MIDDLE CLASS OF ENGLAND

 

*Families lived in solid, well furnished homes.

*Middle class has little sympathy for the poor.

*Values hard work and the determination to "get ahead."

*Families dress well and eat large meals.

*Middle- class men influence parliament.

*Middle-class women encouraged to become "ladies" and to do no physical labor.

 

Return to Mr. Haskell's Main Page