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INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION C 1760-80 - 1880 DEFINITION GENERAL REMARKS 200 yrs ago modern industrial society first took shape in Great Britain changes industrialization brought so momentous that historians speak of them as Industrial Revolution in a broader sense, Ind Rev continues to this day a long unfolding of new technologies machinery that began being powered by steam moved on to use of petroleum, electricity nuclear for power to run other new machinery steam-engine era of the 19th c. may look primitive from perspective of our age of space exploration, electronics, computer technology but technological breakthroughs of 200 yrs ago crucial to all that has occurred since Ind. Rev. process of society going from a rural agricultural commercial society to modern industrial society dependent on use of power machinery rather than man animals while process gradual not sudden which word revolution suggests economic, social political results revolutionary rural, handicraft economy of centuries transformed to one dominated by urban workers 1st stage of IR began slowly about 1760, gathered momentum after 1815-30 by 1850 England workshop of world only quite later did industrial revolution come to continent some historians say “most important event in world history” CAUSES OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION General Remarks why did Industrial Revolution occur at this time? why did it occur 1st in England? complex combination of events elements unique to England caused Industrial Revolution British had vigorous middle class including both skilled technicians aggressive entrepreneurs British had surplus labor produced by 18th c. Agricultural Revolution they had immense amounts of capital from empire trade agricultural revolution growing population at home abroad to provide requisite demand Britain had resources in iron coal Ind. Rev. began in texti