The aftermath of the Industrial Revolution

Beginning first in Great Britain, industrialization spread to the continental countries of Europe and the United States. In 1815, Belgium, France, and the German states were still largely agrarian. The Industrial Revolution began in Britain in the mid eighteen hundreds. England was fortunate to have the right mix of an abundance of people, plenty of wealth, sufficient natural resources, new inventions, and a tolerant government, which allowed people to try new things. While these were not …

…their destinies, refusing to be passive victims. Improvements in the standard of living came slowly, although they were substantial by 1850. The era of industrialization fostered new attitudes toward child labor, encouraged protective factory legislation, and called forth a new sense of class feeling and an assertive labor movement. It also promoted a more rigid division of roles and responsibilities within the family that was detrimental to women another gradual but profound change of revolutionary magnitude.