THE

INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION
Foster, Jeremy

LBST 2101-252 | Professor de Assis

The Industrial Revolution led European countries to industrialization in the 18th and 19th
centuries. Industrialization is the alteration of a country from a mainly agricultural population to
a manufacturing one. As people continued to push the envelope, engineers designed new
inventions to maximize the output of goods at the lowest cost. The dire need for people to help
run the new mechanisms created an unprecedented increase in job opportunities. As a result of
the increase of jobs, people flowed into the residential areas surrounding the factories so they
would not have to travel long distances to work. But, as the population doubled or even tripled,
living conditions in these urban areas became less than satisfactory. Filth and disease ridden
streets lead to serious health problems. With no laws to prevent this, the chances of living
conditions getting any better were slim to none. Although the creation of jobs boosted the
European economy, the harsh working and living conditions along with the poor health standards
were not worth the economic success.
Working conditions during this time were dreadful. Factories were more like industrial
prisons, where the inmates had to work just to receive food. As the demand for the
manufacturing goods and services skyrocketed, the hours for the factory workers exceeded
twelve hours a day. To maximize the amount of abled bodies in the workforce, corporate
businessmen would often hire young orphans or children to work. It wasnt always the
businessmen who brought the children in to work. A majority of families had to send their kids to
work just to be able to survive. Constantly being monitored, the workers were punished
systematically if they broke the work rules. For example, if a worker was late to work, or
accidentally spoiled material, or nodded off late in the day, the employer imposed fines that were
deducted from the weekly pay. Children and adolescents were often beaten for their infractions
(673, McKay). People were not used to this strain of work brought on by the factories. Farmers

and other agricultural professions worked hard but they worked at their own pace and could take
breaks when needed. The realization of this new idea of working took its toll on the mind and
bodies of the workers. From 1802-1833, the English passed laws, the Factory Acts, limiting
working hours for children from ages nine to thirteen to eight hours a day, children from ages
fourteen to eighteen to twelve hours a day, and banning children under nine from employment.
Children under the age of nine had to attend factory run schools since they were not allowed to
work.
Serious health conditions were a major outcome of the over population of cities and the
unsatisfactory working conditions. Diseases in the cities lead to many deaths during the
industrial revolution. With no education on the prevention of sickness, diseases such as typhus
and typhoid often destroyed families. But, this did not stop people from flowing into the cities.
The disease problem continuously grew with the population. The trash, human waste, and filth
on the streets seeped into the ground contaminated drinking water for the cities causing Cholera.
According to dictionary.com, Cholera is an often fatal and infectious disease of the small
intestine causing diarrhea and vomiting (Cholera, 2016). These symptoms lead to extreme
dehydration and ultimately death. Long hours and being deprived of sleep gave no chance for the
body to fight off the sicknesses. On top of the disgusting streets the poor air quality caused by the
exhaust from the factories led to lung conditions. Tuberculosis was one of the biggest killers in
the cities of this time. Also known as TB, it is believed to have killed one third of all those who
died between 1800 and 1850 (Trueman, 2016). TB comes from living in damp, dirty, places and
can easily be spread through breathing in the air that is exhaled by an infected person. Not only
does TB affect the lungs, it can also affect the brain, kidneys, or even the spine. On top of all
that, if not treated in a timely manner, TB will lead to a slow and painful death.

All in all, the negative effects the Industrial Revolution had on the surrounding
population out weighed the positive effects. The economic boom along with the numerous
inventions did not make up for the suffering that people had to undergo just to try and keep
themselves and their families. From the long hard working hours and conditions to the constant
struggle of avoiding disease and famine the people of this time sacrificed everything they had for
the benefit of the factory owners and businessmen. Hopefully in the future people realize that the
wealth and fortune is not worth the cost of lives and the wellbeing of the people that are not as
fortunate as them.