The Industrial Revolution

Why Britain?

Why then?

Causes:1. Expanding Atlantic economy and British Empire

                                                                  

2. Favorable Natural Conditions

                                               

Coal

Iron

Waterways

3. Agricultural Revolution, 1700-1800

                                               

Jethro Tull, 1674-1741

First Modern Farmer

Invented seed drill

Seed Drill

                                                                                     

Agricultural Rev. (cont.)

Enclosures

Crop rotation system

Improvement became the goal

                                      

Agricultural Rev. (cont.)

Led to:More efficient food production

Cheaper foodMore disposable income

Less workers needed in rural areas

                                               

4. Political conditions

Constitutional Monarchy

Relative Stability

Economic growth

                                 

5. Legal conditions

No internal tarrifsPatent law encouraged

invention

                                        

6. Financial Conditions

Effective central bank(1694)

Well-develop credit markets

Plenty of capital

                                               

7. Proto-industry

Putting-out system or cottage industry

Division of labor

                                                                                      

8. Major technological advances

Cotton is king!

1760s - James Hargreaves invented Spinning Jenny

1760s - Richard Arkwright invented Water Frame

1779 - Samuel Crompton invented the Spinning Mule

                                               

8. Major technological advances

1770s: Arkwright also developed the Factory System:

One roof

Central source of power

Division of Labor

                                     

8. Major technological advances (cont.)

Steam Power:

1698: Thomas Savery invented a steam engine

1712: Thomas Newcomen invented a steam engine

1765: James Watt greatly improved Newcomen engine

1820s: Railroads: George Stephenson’s Rocket