Industrial Revolution Overview

Industrial Revolution and Global Context

• Goals:

  • Understand the industrial revolution's global impact.
  • Explain why industrialization is important.
  • Examine the role of slavery in the industrial revolution, considering if it was beneficial to capitalism or not.

• Keywords: Industrial revolution, Opium War, Cotton, Capitalism

• What was the Industrial Revolution?

  • Occurred from the 1700s to the early 1900s (1787-1868).
  • Involves economic and technological changes (e.g., steam engine, cotton gin).
  • Changed energy sources and materials (e.g., coal, iron).
  • Reshaped work, families, and leisure.
  • Originated in Europe, specifically Britain.

Industrialization in Britain

• Causes: Technological innovations (steam engine, factory system), abundant natural resources (coal), a skilled workforce, strong financial system, supportive government policies.

Consequences of Industrialization

• Negative consequences: Pollution (harming health), spread of disease, child labor, poor working conditions.

• Positive consequences: Creation of economic gaps between industrialized and non-industrialized nations.

• Europe's advantages: access to colonies in the Americas for labor (plantations), and access to coal.

First Opium War (1839-1842)

• Background: High demand for tea in Britain, restricted European trade in Canton to 1759.
• British actions: Illegal opium export from India to China.
• Chinese response: Confiscation of opium; conflict ensues.
• Outcome: British victory, Treaty of Nanjing (1842) - port openings, foreign residence rights; Hong Kong as a British colony.

Industrial Revolution's Significance

• Global Impact: Created economic disparities between industrialized and non-industrial powers.
• Marked the beginning of the modern world and new forms of imperialism.
• Division between developed and developing countries.

Industrial Revolution in the US: Cotton and Capitalism

• Goal: Examine the role of US slavery in the industrial revolution – was slavery a part of or against the principles of capitalism?

• Background of the industrial revolution in the North: Expansion of manufacturing and trade in the North.

• How slavery aided the South's role in global trade: Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin, increased cotton production, spreading of cotton cultivation and slavery. Increased demand for cotton from northern states and Britain led to slave labor becoming integral to the South's economy.

• American Slavery in Global Context: The South became a major player in global trade due to cotton production and slave labor becoming a valuable source to the global economy. Slavery became intertwined with industrialization in the U.S. The question arises: was slavery a capitalist system or not?

Reinterpretation of Slavery

• Older interpretations: Slave labor viewed as lazy, inefficient, and less productive than free labor; not committed to profit-seeking.
• Modern interpretations: Enslaved people were valued as commodities; slave labor was sometimes seen as more efficient and profitable than free labor in the context of plantation agriculture; slavery was a critical part of the economic engine driving industrialization.

This quiz explores the Industrial Revolution, focusing on its global impact, significance, and the complex relationship between slavery and capitalism. Delve into the technological innovations and societal changes that accompanied this transformative period from the 1700s to the early 1900s.