Industrial Revolution Causes.pdf - Cambridge College Secondary ...

Causes
The causes of the Industrial Revolution were complex and remain a topic for debate, with some historians seeing
the Revolution as an outgrowth of social and institutional changes wrought by the end of feudalism in Great
Britain after the English Civil War in the 17th century. As national border controls became more effective,
diseases spread less, therefore preventing the epidemics common in previous times. The percentage of children
who lived past infancy rose significantly as well, leading to a larger workforce.
The Enclosure movement and the British Agricultural Revolution made food production more efficient and less
labour­intensive, forcing the surplus population who could no longer find employment in agriculture into
cottage industry, such as weaving, and in the longer term into the cities and the newly­developed factories.
The colonial expansion of the 17th century with the accompanying development of international trade, creation of
financial markets and accumulation of capital are also cited as factors, as is the scientific revolution of the 17th
century.
Technological innovation was another important factor, in particular the new invention and development of the
steam engine (which later was developed by Fulton into a steam boat) during the 18th century.
The presence of a large domestic market should also be considered an important catalyst of the Industrial
Revolution, particularly explaining why it occurred in Britain. In other nations their were local conflicts (and
wars), such as in France , and the markets were split up by local regions, which often imposed tolls and tariffs on
goods traded between them.
http://schools­wikipedia.org/2006/wp/i/Industrial_Revolution.htm
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