Causes of Industrial Revolution
By, Jasmine Fernandez, Royce Ferguson.
Definition:
The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840.
Detail:
Cause: Political, economic and intellectual conditions would all contribute. But at the heart of the revolution was our use of energy. Coal was the fuel which kick-started the Industrial Revolution - and Britain was very fortunate to have plenty that could be easily mined. Wood had been the main source of energy in Britain, used for fuel in homes and small industries. But as the population grew, so did the demand for timber. As forests were cut down, wood had to be carried further to reach the towns. It was bulky and difficult to transport and therefore expensive.
- Characteristics: 1. The first commercially successful steam engine was the atmospheric engine, invented by Thomas Newcomen in 1712. 2. The demand for coal led to deeper and deeper mines and an increased risk of flooding.
- Significance: The Industrial Revolution and the huge wealth it created was unstoppable. A revolution started in Britain and powered by coal changed the world forever because this is still a way of mining coal.