The Industrial Revolution: Then and Now

The Industrial Revolution was a time of rapid technological development and social and political change.  Starting in 1740 and ending in 1840, the Industrial Revolution saw to the development of mass industry and the beginning of the modern era.

Perhaps the most iconic symbol of the revolution is the locomotive, built in the United Kingdom in 1804 by Richard Trevithick. The locomotive revolutionized transportation, allowing factories to quickly access and transfer resources. It also made long distance travel possible for everyday people, allowing some of them to see their countries for the first time. This helped start the Environmental movement and the Romantic movement.

While the primary effects of the Industrial Revolution were economic, there were cultural and political changes as well. Eli Whitney’s cotton gin provided the first alternative to slave labor in the deep American South, paving the way for the Civil War and emancipation. Textile factories with the newly invented power loom changed the lives of women, who traditionally worked in sewing and could now get factory jobs. 

Stock Image Gallery of the Industrial Revolution

The revolution also had negative effects. As industry increased, many factory owners abused vulnerable work forces, including children. In England and Scotland in 1788, two-thirds of the workers in water-powered cotton were children. Human inventions began to have a much greater impact on the environment as well. For the first time, the London sky turned consistently black with a mixture of fog and smoke called smog.

Humphry Davy, inventor of the gas lamp, mug.

 It is worth considering how our own technological advancements have had both positive and negative impacts on society. For one, the internet and computers have made us more productive and interconnected but on the other they have made us more distant, limiting person to person interactions and inundating us with digital forms of entertainment. They have also had political effects. The Egyptian Revolution of 2011 was started largely on social media and the current political divide in the U.S is driven largely by mass access to platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

History shows that people eventually adjust to technological changes, preserving their benefits while diminishing their shortfalls. With determination a better future is possible. So, reflecting earnestly on our times, let the revolution go on!

Great Inventors on prints, phone cases, masks, tote bags and more