THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
This was a time when
mechanics (industry) began to
replace agriculture as the
main basis of the economy.
In other words, most of the
country’s economy (money)
came from mechanically
produced items instead of
items grown on farms or
produced by hand.
The Industrial Revolution was a time of change in Europe marked by:
• the introduction of power-driven machinery
• the growth of factories
• a huge increase in the production of goods
• a shift from a rural, agricultural society to a more urban one
Many factories dealt with textiles where the workers (including children) had to use huge machines and looms.
Many children were injured or killed
working in factories. There was no
worker’s compensation; no welfare.
Most people worked in factories 12 hours a
day for pennies. (about $5 a week now).
They lived in terrible conditions.
It was a time when the rich
became richer and the poor
became poorer.
-90% poor factory workers
-5% middle class craftsmen
and merchants
-5% rich factory owners and
land owners
• Sanitation was poor, so there was
much disease.
• There was a ditch in the middle of
the street (open sewer) which ran to
the river with the waste.
WORK HOUSES AND POORHOUSES
People were sent to
workhouses and
poorhouses for minor
crimes and/or not
paying debts.
These were
terrible
places
provided by
the
government. People were
mistreated,
overworked and
underfed. They
were cold and damp
in winter.
Workhouses were the same as prisons
Officials who ran the workhouses were often
corrupt.
They ate gruel – a thin oatmeal flavored with
grease. Sometimes they got
some moldy cheese or
stale bread.
Entire families would go
to the workhouse/
poorhouse.
People could work off their debts by working
each day to reduce the amount they owed by
a set amount (usually a few cents a day).
Orphans were sent to workhouses to pay for
their food and shelter.
49,000 children under 16 were in
workhouses during the 1800’s.
People who could not support
themselves could go to
workhouses voluntarily, but most
would rather live on the streets.
CHARLES DICKENS
-Born February 7, 1812 in
Portsmouth, England
-Died June 9, 1870 and
buried in Westminster Abbey
• Educated while his family could afford it (not consistently)
• Age 12 went to work in a shoe polish factory because his father was in debtor’s prison.
• REFORMIST WRITER – wrote about the bad things in English society so change would occur and improve life for the poor.
• Married and had 10 kids
As a young man, Charles Dickens witnessed a decline in the traditional celebration of Christmas in England.
Because of the Industrial Revolution, many employers wouldn’t even give their employees Christmas Day off.
A Christmas Carol, along with several other Christmas books by Dickens, helped revive the holiday customs.
Some people even started calling Dickens “The Man Who Discovered Christmas.”
He was well known and liked as
an author during his life time.
He raised money to help people in need by
reading
A Christmas Carol at charity events.
Many characters in his books were
real people from his life with
different names.
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