Download Alexander Gold - Industrial Revolution Causes

In a short paragraph, explain how each of the following factors contributed to the Industrial
Revolution.
1. Urbanization
Urbanization brought about many changes in the social, economic, and political lives of people
during the industrial revolution. Despite the fact that the growth of urban centers leads to the
creation of more job opportunities for the people, and thus, to the generation of more money, it
must be noted that urbanization is almost always perceived as a negative trend. The rise in
population of the cities gives rise to many problems; air and water pollution being the major issues.
Others problems created by urbanization include increased crime rates, poverty, deforestation, and
the formation of slums.
2. Accumulation and investment of capital
Accumulation was a necessary complement. The surge in inequality was intrinsic to the growth
process. The technical change increased the demand for capital and raised the profit rate and
capital`s share. The rise in profits, in turn, sustained the industrial revolution by financing the
necessary capital accumulation.
3. Increased agricultural efficiency
The Agricultural Revolution of the 18th century paved the way for the Industrial Revolution in
Britain. New farming techniques and improved livestock breeding led to amplified food production.
This allowed a spike in population and increased health. The new farming techniques also led to an
enclosure movement. Due to an increase in food, more people were able to be fed, solving some
issues of urbanization.
4. Technological improvements or breakthroughs
New inventions and technologies played an important role in the Industrial Revolution. They
changed the way things were powered, how goods were manufactured, how people communicated,
and the way goods were transported. Goods could be transferred much more efficiently, driving in
new money and culture.
5. Natural resources
Natural resources such as coal, water, and iron were all used to power and make machines. These
allowed wealthy textile merchants to set up machines in large buildings called factories, fueled by
these natural resources.. this is where goods were mass-produced and more jobs were created.
Farming these resources also created many more jobs for miners.
6. Stability of government
With political stability, people could take out loans which led to entrepreneurs making new
machines and expanding their businesses. The U.S. government adopted policies that supported
industrial development such as providing land for the construction of railroads and maintaining
high tariffs to protect American industry from foreign competition.
7. Increased population
The human population more than doubled during the Industrial Revolution. This growth provided
cities with the workforces they desperately needed to keep up with new developments and allowed
the revolution to continue for several decades. Job opportunities, higher wages, and better diets
brought people together to meld into new urban cultures
8. Consumers
The Industrial Revolution fundamentally caused factories to be located in cities and towns where
goods could instead be produced on a mass scale. This led to consumerism because it created a
system in which people could reasonably afford a variety of goods. Now, everyone would be able to
buy goods due to the new low prices.
9. Transportation
The steam engine led to the application of locomotive and steamboat, which increased transporting
capacity and thus facilitated more production machines for manufacturing in other industries.
Trade expansion was fostered by the introduction of canals, improved roads, and railways.
Railways lowered the cost of transporting many kinds of goods across great distances. These
advances in transport helped drive settlement in the western regions of North America. They were
also essential to the nation's industrialization. The resulting growth in productivity was
astonishing.
After completing the list, write a paragraph explaining what cause you think is the most significant.
I think that transportation had the most significant effect on the Industrial Revolution. It seems to
have made the biggest impact on the efficiency of trade and population. In fact, transportation
caused many of the factors that affected the Revolution.