The industrial revolution was a period of dramatic change. The population exploded and more and more people lived in towns. It transformed work, homes, health, transport and education.

Causes of the Industrial Revolution

The population of England increased very quickly from 5 million to 30 million people over the 200 years up to 1900.
Urbanisation: cities and towns grew rapidly as people left the countryside looking for work. Liverpool grew from a small town of 20,000 to 300,000 in only 70 years.
Individuals set up factories that changed the way people worked. Samuel Greg, for example, set up Quarry Bank Mill. Robert Owen built factories but also took care of his workers.
New inventions like the steam engine and the Spinning Jenny allowed factories to grow.
The British Empire led to a steady supply of raw materials and an enormous market to sell manufactured goods.

Year 7 Daily Life and Beliefs

What was the Industrial Revolution?