Summary

The Industrial Revolution was a positive time in Britain. But in the beginning, the Industrial Revolution seemed to bring no benefits to the country. Living conditions in cities were unsanitary and unsafe. Men, women and even children had to work in the factories for low wages. they received harsh punishments, and were not protected from dangerous machinery. The production of coal polluted the atmosphere and people’s lungs. The conditions in the coalmines were not much better than in factories, the workers suffered immensely. Food was too expensive for poor, low class workers, so they could only afford to eat rotten meats, fatty fried foods, and stale bread. This also led to extreme malnutrition and sickness in cities. 

However, the positive outcomes of the Industrial Revolution rivaled the damage of its more negative effects. Britain gained much money from trading with other countries (for example, industrial machinery). In Europe, Britain had the strongest economy, and powerful manufacturing factories. As the economy grew stronger, it gave people chances to move up the social structure with statuses. The Industrial Revolution brought new advances in medicine, which improved the people of Britain's health. Stronger steel became cheaper to produce, because of new scientific discoveries. This helped make new buildings that would now be safer from fires and other safety hazards. Electricity was now being used instead of gas to light street lights, which also decreased the dangers of gas lamps. With better lit cities, criminals could also be caught easier, which made the society feel safer at night. Transportation was better with new electric engines, and decreased the amount of pollution being produced. And to solve the problems I mentioned before, a new sewage system was introduced, which provided clean running water in homes. There was now public education so not just the upper classes could read and write, lower classes could as well. 

Another huge benefit was that with mass production, items and goods were cheaper, so more people purchased them. The factories were now earning more money, so they could pay their workers higher wages and better working conditions. Also, newer, safer machinery was invented, so peoples lives were no longer at risk. There was a new labour code made, saying that a worker was now only required to work eight hours, compared to the twelve to sixteen hour shifts they had to work before. 

Due to Britain's economical, social, and political state, I believe they were ready for a change. And this is why they flourished so well. The Industrial Revolution allowed the people of Britain to stop living in the past, and look hopefully into the feature, without fear. They became more modernized, and realized that the improvements they made through the revolution would last for upcoming years, and their new found forward thinking would benefit them greatly in a revolutionary way.