Industrial Industrial Revolution and Revolution and

“the Hungry “the Hungry Forties”Forties”

Above: Mildred Olmes, Above: Mildred Olmes, “Madonna of the “Madonna of the Mines” (1949) Mines” (1949)

(PA artist)(PA artist)

Industrial Revolution: Industrial Revolution: • Begins in England, mid 1700s, with new machine inventions to Begins in England, mid 1700s, with new machine inventions to increase speed and efficiency of increase speed and efficiency of cloth weavingcloth weaving (cotton and wool) (cotton and wool)• Connected with history of African slavery in British colonies and new Connected with history of African slavery in British colonies and new U.S.U.S.cotton from the American Deep Southcotton from the American Deep South• First waterwheels, then steam engines power enormous mechanical First waterwheels, then steam engines power enormous mechanical loomslooms• Makes possible a Makes possible a higher standard of productivityhigher standard of productivity than ever before than ever before

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION:INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: High Productivity: transforms agriculture to keep pace (cotton High Productivity: transforms agriculture to keep pace (cotton

gin, plantations supply raw materials)gin, plantations supply raw materials) Factory workers drawn from agricultural regions—farming rootsFactory workers drawn from agricultural regions—farming roots Transforms landscape and everyday life:Transforms landscape and everyday life:

– Nights bright and fiery, Days darkened—smoke and Nights bright and fiery, Days darkened—smoke and pollutionpollution

– Work shifts in factories: night and day—long hours/hourly Work shifts in factories: night and day—long hours/hourly wageswages

– Industrialized lifestyle—unlike farming: Industrialized lifestyle—unlike farming: not tied to not tied to daily/seasonal cyclesdaily/seasonal cycles

– Instead: subject to Instead: subject to economic peaks and depressionseconomic peaks and depressions: Work : Work and unemployment directly hinges on world trade!and unemployment directly hinges on world trade!

Child labor: 19th – early 20th c. factories. Here: two kids setting new bobbins on a power loom

Population and Poverty:Population and Poverty: Great numbers of people seeking work move Great numbers of people seeking work move

from rural areas to factory cities, like from rural areas to factory cities, like Manchester, Birmingham, and Liverpool Manchester, Birmingham, and Liverpool

Working class: Lousy living conditions / High Working class: Lousy living conditions / High population density population density

New extremes in wealth AND povertyNew extremes in wealth AND poverty– Wealth: rising class of industrial capitalists, Wealth: rising class of industrial capitalists,

eclipses “old money” landed nobility in England eclipses “old money” landed nobility in England (plutocrats)(plutocrats)

– Poverty: “working class” experience: unpredictable Poverty: “working class” experience: unpredictable life! extreme swings between relative comfort and life! extreme swings between relative comfort and starvation with economic changes.starvation with economic changes.

Family life: new expectations/forms of work Family life: new expectations/forms of work for women and children for women and children – See Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s “The Cry of the See Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s “The Cry of the

Children” (pp. 1140-44)Children” (pp. 1140-44)

““Every great city has one or more Every great city has one or more slumsslums, where the working-class is , where the working-class is crowded together. True, poverty often dwells in hidden alleys crowded together. True, poverty often dwells in hidden alleys close to the palaces of the rich; but, in general, a separate close to the palaces of the rich; but, in general, a separate territory has been assigned to it, where, removed from the sight territory has been assigned to it, where, removed from the sight of the happier classes, it may struggle along as it can. These of the happier classes, it may struggle along as it can. These slums are pretty equally arranged in all the great towns of slums are pretty equally arranged in all the great towns of England, the England, the worst houses in the worst quarters of the townsworst houses in the worst quarters of the towns; ; usually one- or two-storied cottages in long rows, usually one- or two-storied cottages in long rows, perhaps with perhaps with cellars used as dwellings,cellars used as dwellings, almost always irregularly built. These almost always irregularly built. These houses of three or four rooms and a kitchens form, throughout houses of three or four rooms and a kitchens form, throughout England, some parts of London excepted, the general dwellings England, some parts of London excepted, the general dwellings of the working-class. The streets are generally of the working-class. The streets are generally unpaved, rough, unpaved, rough, dirty, filled with vegetable and animal refusedirty, filled with vegetable and animal refuse, without sewers or , without sewers or gutters, but supplied with foul, stagnant pools instead. Moreover, gutters, but supplied with foul, stagnant pools instead. Moreover, ventilation is impeded by the bad, confused method of building ventilation is impeded by the bad, confused method of building of the whole quarter, and since of the whole quarter, and since many human beings here live many human beings here live crowded into a small spacecrowded into a small space, the atmosphere that prevails in , the atmosphere that prevails in these working-men's quarters may readily be imagined. Further, these working-men's quarters may readily be imagined. Further, the streets serve as drying grounds in fine weather; lines are the streets serve as drying grounds in fine weather; lines are stretched across from house to house, and hung with wet stretched across from house to house, and hung with wet clothing.” clothing.”

--Friedrich Engels, from --Friedrich Engels, from The Condition of the Working Class in The Condition of the Working Class in EnglandEngland, 1845, 1845

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/ind_rev/images/ir381x1.jpg

Education:Education: • Industrial Revolution leads to Industrial Revolution leads to Public SchoolingPublic Schooling: :

need for skilled, literate labor force. need for skilled, literate labor force. • First “public schools” established by factory First “public schools” established by factory

ownersowners• practical education in the practical education in the 3 r’s3 r’s • theories of society and economics supporting theories of society and economics supporting

industrial systems (often the POV of the owners!)industrial systems (often the POV of the owners!)• workers sought expertise in Math, Statistics, workers sought expertise in Math, Statistics,

Sciences, engineering/mechanical skillsSciences, engineering/mechanical skills• EducationEducationnew inventionsnew inventions/new, more /new, more

efficient machineryefficient machinery• EducationEducationpossibility of risingpossibility of rising from working from working

class to management to mill owner class to management to mill owner

Big ChangesBig Changes for Nineteenth-century Britain:for Nineteenth-century Britain: SPEEDY CONNECTIONS between cities (1830):SPEEDY CONNECTIONS between cities (1830): Manchester and Liverpool Railway Manchester and Liverpool Railway

begins operations. Trains move at giddy speeds of 30 mph! begins operations. Trains move at giddy speeds of 30 mph!

GRADUAL LEGAL / SOCIAL REFORMS: GRADUAL LEGAL / SOCIAL REFORMS: – MORE REPRESENTATIONAL GOVERNMENT: MORE REPRESENTATIONAL GOVERNMENT:

1832: First Reform Bill Passed: 1832: First Reform Bill Passed: Eliminates 56 Eliminates 56 “rotten boroughs”“rotten boroughs” in Britain in Britain (see Note to Peterloo Massacre above), adds 143 new Parliament seats for urban (see Note to Peterloo Massacre above), adds 143 new Parliament seats for urban areas. Grants right to vote (areas. Grants right to vote (franchisefranchise) to small landholders—essentially upper-) to small landholders—essentially upper-middle-class men. middle-class men.

– ABOLITION OF SLAVERY + FACTORY ACT (1833):ABOLITION OF SLAVERY + FACTORY ACT (1833): Slavery abolished Slavery abolished throughout the British colonies throughout the British colonies around the world.around the world. Factory Act: Factory Act: Restricts Restricts working hours for children under age 12 to 48 hours/week, 9 hours/day, and teens working hours for children under age 12 to 48 hours/week, 9 hours/day, and teens under 18 to 12 hours/day. Kids must be allowed to leave work for 2 hours/day for under 18 to 12 hours/day. Kids must be allowed to leave work for 2 hours/day for school. school.

– WORKHOUSES (1834):WORKHOUSES (1834): Poor Law Amendment: Poor Law Amendment: Established workhouses for Established workhouses for the unemployed. Men and women kept in separate facilities, food strictly rationed. the unemployed. Men and women kept in separate facilities, food strictly rationed. Idea: Make the workhouse less attractive than employment. Idea: Make the workhouse less attractive than employment.

1841-42: 1841-42: “Hungry Forties”“Hungry Forties” severe economic depression. severe economic depression.

Crime at an all time high in Crime at an all time high in 18421842, particularly high in the , particularly high in the industrial north (Manchester, industrial north (Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds).Birmingham, Leeds).

Labor LawsLabor Laws—attempt to limit —attempt to limit exploitation of “cheap” labor:exploitation of “cheap” labor: Ten Hours Act (1847Ten Hours Act (1847)) limits limits women and children to 10 women and children to 10 hours/day of work.hours/day of work.

Chartist Movements:Chartist Movements: “The “The People’s Charter”: demands People’s Charter”: demands for legal and social reforms—for legal and social reforms—govt that cares about all govt that cares about all citizenscitizens

Mobilizes British writers:Mobilizes British writers:Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Charles Dickens, Elizabeth GaskellGaskell

(Also in England and Europe: (Also in England and Europe: Karl Mark and Friedrich Karl Mark and Friedrich Engels)Engels)

Victorian era street kids

General Overview of Social Issues General Overview of Social Issues (1840s)(1840s)

OvercrowdingOvercrowding in cities, increasing population and in cities, increasing population and poor sanitation leads to cholera epidemics poor sanitation leads to cholera epidemics

Employer exploitation of women and childrenEmployer exploitation of women and children, , as as well as immigrants—lower wages, fewer full-time well as immigrants—lower wages, fewer full-time jobsjobs

Laws drafted to protect mill owners’ interestsLaws drafted to protect mill owners’ interests: At : At first, govt. laws passed to STOP workers from first, govt. laws passed to STOP workers from protesting exploitation and wage cutsprotesting exploitation and wage cuts

Trade UnionsTrade Unions once illegal by British law in the once illegal by British law in the 1790s-1810s. 1790s-1810s. Legalized in 1820sLegalized in 1820s. Workers rally to . Workers rally to improve their condition—Strikes and conflictsimprove their condition—Strikes and conflicts

"It is a community of purpose that constitutes society," continued the younger stranger; "without that, men may be drawn into contiguity, but they still continue virtually isolated.""And is that their condition in cities?""It is their condition everywhere; but in cities that condition is aggravated. A density of population implies a severer struggle for existence, and a consequent repulsion of elements brought into too close contact. In great cities men are brought together by the desire of gain. They are not in a state of co-operation, but of isolation, as to the making of fortunes; and for all the rest they are careless of neighbours. Christianity teaches us to love our neighbour as ourself; modern society acknowledges no neighbour.""Well, we live in strange times," said Egremont, struck by the observation of his companion, and relieving a perplexed spirit by an ordinary exclamation, which often denotes that the mind is more stirring than it cares to acknowledge, or at the moment is capable to express."When the infant begins to walk, it also thinks that it lives in strange times," said his companion."Your inference?" asked Egremont."That society, still in its infancy, is beginning to feel its way.""This is a new reign," said Egremont, "perhaps it is a new era.""I think so," said the younger stranger."I hope so," said the elder one."Well, society may be in its infancy," said Egremont slightly smiling; "but, say what you like, our Queen reigns over the greatest nation that ever existed.""Which nation?" asked the younger stranger, "for she reigns over two."The stranger paused; Egremont was silent, but looked inquiringly."Yes," resumed the younger stranger after a moment's interval. "Two nations; between whom there is no intercourse and no sympathy; who are as ignorant of each other's habits, thoughts, and feelings, as if they were dwellers in different zones, or inhabitants of different planets; who are formed by a different breeding, are fed by a different food, are ordered by different manners, and are not governed by the same laws.""You speak of—" said Egremont, hesitatingly."THE RICH AND THE POOR.“ --from Benjamin Disraeli’s novel, The Sibyl (1845)