Industrialization: 1750-1900

• The time period covers roughly 1750-1900.

Industrialization

• Industrialization is the process of shifting from an agrarian, handicraft economy to one dominated by machine manufacturing.
• It began in Great Britain around 1750 and spread to other parts of the world.

Causes of Industrialization

• Factors included access to resources like coal and iron, the accumulation of capital, improvements in agriculture, and a supportive government.
• The Agricultural Revolution of the 18th century led to increased food production and a surplus of labor.
• Britain had a stable government, a strong financial system, and a culture that valued innovation.
• The Enlightenment fostered scientific thinking and technological advancements.

Key Inventions

• The steam engine, invented by James Watt, revolutionized power generation and transportation.
• The cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney, greatly increased the production of cotton.
• New methods like the Bessemer process revolutionized steel production.

Spread of Industrialization

• Industrialization spread to continental Europe and North America in the 19th century.
• Germany and the United States became major industrial powers.
• Japan also industrialized rapidly in the late 19th century during the Meiji Restoration.
• Russia started to industrialize under the state sponsored programs.
• Latin America remained largely agrarian due to political instability and reliance on exporting raw materials.

Effects of Industrialization

• Mass production led to cheaper goods and higher standards of living for some.
• Factory work was often dangerous and exploitative, with long hours and low wages.
• Urbanization increased as people moved to cities in search of work.
• New social classes emerged, including a large industrial working class and a wealthy middle class.
• Environmental pollution became a major problem.

Revolutions

• The period saw a number of significant political and social revolutions.

American Revolution (1775-1783)

• The American Revolution was caused by growing tensions between Great Britain and its American colonies.
• Colonists protested British policies such as taxation without representation.
• The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, asserted the right to self-government.
• The American Revolution inspired other revolutionary movements.

French Revolution (1789-1799)

• The French Revolution was caused by social inequality, economic problems, and Enlightenment ideas.
• The storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, marked the beginning of the revolution.
• The Reign of Terror, led by Maximilien Robespierre, was a period of radical violence.
• Napoleon Bonaparte seized power in 1799 and established a dictatorship.

Haitian Revolution (1791-1804)

• The Haitian Revolution was a slave revolt against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue.
• Toussaint Louverture led the Haitian Revolution.
• Haiti became the first independent black republic in the world.

Latin American Revolutions (1808-1825)

• Latin American Revolutions were caused by Creole discontent with Spanish colonial rule.
• Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín led independence movements in South America.
• Mexico, Brazil, and other Latin American countries gained independence.

Imperialism

• Imperialism is the policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, diplomacy, or military force.
• European powers engaged in a new wave of imperialism in the 19th century, known as New Imperialism.

Causes of Imperialism

• Economic motives included the desire for raw materials, new markets, and investment opportunities.
• Political motives included nationalism, competition between European powers, and the desire for strategic advantage.
• Cultural motives included the belief in European superiority and the desire to spread Christianity and Western civilization.

Forms of Imperialism

• Colonies were territories directly ruled by a foreign power.
• Protectorates had their own governments but were under the control of a foreign power.
• Spheres of influence were regions where a foreign power had exclusive economic privileges.

Scramble for Africa

• The Scramble for Africa was a period of intense competition among European powers for control of African territory.
• The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 established rules for the division of Africa.
• By 1914, almost all of Africa was under European control.

Imperialism in Asia

• Great Britain controlled India, Burma, and other parts of Southeast Asia.
• France controlled Indochina which included Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.
• The Dutch controlled the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia).
• China was subjected to spheres of influence by various European powers and Japan.
• Japan colonized Korea and Taiwan.

Effects of Imperialism

• Imperialism led to the exploitation of resources and labor in colonized territories.
• Colonial rule disrupted traditional societies and economies.
• Imperialism led to resistance movements and nationalist uprisings.
• European culture, language, and institutions were spread to colonized areas.

Global Impacts

• Industrialization, revolutions, and imperialism had profound global impacts.

Economic Impacts

• Global trade increased dramatically.
• A global economy emerged, dominated by industrialized nations.
• Colonialism helped to create a system of unequal exchange between industrialized and non-industrialized countries.

Political Impacts

• New nation-states emerged in the Americas and Europe.
• Imperialism led to increased tensions and conflicts between European powers.
• Anti-colonial movements challenged European rule.

Social Impacts

• The spread of new ideas, technologies, and cultural practices.
• Mass migrations of people.
• Growth of cities and urbanization.
• The creation of new social classes.

Environmental Impacts

• Increased pollution.
• Deforestation.
• Depletion of natural resources.

Social Changes

• Industrialization and revolutions led to significant social changes.

Changes in Social Structure

• The rise of the middle class.
• The growth of the industrial working class.
• The decline of the aristocracy.

Changes in Family Life

• The separation of work and home.
• The decline of traditional family roles.
• Increased emphasis on education.

Changes in the Role of Women

• Women entered the workforce in increasing numbers.
• The rise of feminism and the movement for women's rights.

Changes in Social Thought

• The rise of socialism and communism.
• Increased emphasis on individualism and secularism.
• New ideas about race, class, and gender.