Social Effect

Before the Industrial Revolution less than 10% of the population lived in cities. The rest of the population was spread througout the countryside growing just enough food for them to live. Everyone made their own furniture, clothing, etc... However there was some industry but very little, often the products in the town were traded for food from people in the countryside. Town products were exported abroad, to pay for luxuries that were imported, often being sent to colonies to be paid for in exchance for raw materials. However, most manufactoring was done inside the home. At this time someone who owned raw materials would drop them off at people's home and pay them to make supplies. Then the owner would pay them for their work, and pick up the finished product and try to find someone who needed the goods. Almost all the work at this time was powered by humans, very little of it was powered by the water mill. Life changed from different climates, soil, and the distance from towns to trade routes. There lives at this time composed of the four seasons of agriculture and little changed from generation to generation. The Industrial Revolution brought out a triumph of the middle class of industrialists and businessmen over the landed class of nobility and gentry. Ordinary working people found increased opportunities for employment in the new mills and factories, but these were often under strict working conditions with long hours of labour dominated by a pace set by machines. However, harsh working conditions were prevalent long before the industrial revolution took place as well. Pre-industrial society was very static and often cruel—child labour, dirty living conditions and long working hours were just as prevalent before the Industrial Revolution. The factory system brought out the changes in which we get our modern cities today. Since everyone lived in cities the factories started there had enough work and the people had to live close to their work since there wasn't good means of transportation. The transition didn't go smoothly as many workers rioted and destroyed machinery in the factories. The Industrial Revolution brought out a change in the population becaue woman ate better and had more babies and also people were healthier from eating more. Children had no opportunity  for education and were expected to work in the factory. Child Labor became a problem, this is solved today by laws and regulations. The children got less pay and worked the same hours as their elders and many were injured during the work. By the end of the Industrial Revolution child labor had many laws and were supervised. The living conditions before the Industrial Revolution and during the Revolution were vasted improved after the Industrial Revolution. Before the Industrial Revolution the homes were able to fit the families, but as they moved to the cities overcrowding became a factor. Diseases were spred throughout the homes and by the end of the Industrial Revolution there were laws and regulations to better fit the vast amount of people and to sanite wastes. People began to form labor unions and strikes for better wages and working conditions because of the poor conditions in the factories. Many people joined these strikes and riots, often destroying machinery during a strike. They worked to get better conditions, Parliment in 1799 forbade workers from entering into a labor union, but was repealed in 1824. Life expenctacy of children rose greatly, and the length of lives also lengthened.