The Industrial Revolution

he Industrial Revolution began in England in the eighteneeth century and quickly spread across Europe and North America. New technology and inventions
transformed an agricultural and commercial way of life into a modern industrial society. Changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution revolutionized families and lifestyles as the factory system drew workers away from the rural family economy to urban areas.

What were these changes? What was life like in these rapidly growing cities? What was life like for these new factory workers? Why did workers begin to organize into labor unions? What were the positive and negative results of the Industrial Revolution? How did the industrial revolution effect different groups of the population?

Each group will have a chance to evaluate primary source documents as the class searches for the answers to the questions listed above. First you need to review the general information found on this page. Then read through your task. Finally, click on the name of your group to find links to investigate the effect of the Industrial Revolution on women, children, factory and mine workers and factory owners.

A few key inventions to review:
James Watt's steam engine
Eli Whitney's cotton gin
Henry Bessemer's steel making process