Key Takeaways
- Britain's coal production rose from 2.7 million tons in 1700 to 30 million tons by 1830, fueling industrial expansion.
- UK iron production increased from 17,000 tons in 1788 to 250,000 tons in 1806 due to coke-smelting innovations.
- Cotton consumption in Britain grew from 5 million pounds in 1785 to 366 million pounds in 1830, driven by mechanized spinning.
- James Watt's steam engine patent in 1769 led to 500 engines installed by 1800, producing 10,000 hp.
- The spinning jenny invented by Hargreaves in 1764 spun 8 spindles, later models up to 120 by 1784.
- Arkwright's water frame patented 1769 enabled continuous cotton spinning at 2,000 spindles per mill by 1780.
- England's population grew from 5.5 million in 1700 to 17.9 million by 1851 census.
- Urban population in England rose from 20% in 1801 to 50% by 1851.
- Life expectancy at birth in Manchester fell to 25 years in 1840s due to industrial conditions.
- Weekly wages for Lancashire cotton operatives averaged 12 shillings in 1830s.
- Coal miners earned 20 shillings/week but faced 12-hour shifts in 1840s.
- Unemployed rate in industrial towns hit 30% during 1841-42 depression.
- London population exploded from 1 million in 1800 to 2.3 million by 1851.
- Manchester's population grew from 75,000 in 1801 to 300,000 by 1851.
- Liverpool docks expanded to handle 10 million tons cargo annually by 1850.
The Industrial Revolution dramatically increased British production and urbanized its population.
Economic Growth and Production
- Britain's coal production rose from 2.7 million tons in 1700 to 30 million tons by 1830, fueling industrial expansion.
- UK iron production increased from 17,000 tons in 1788 to 250,000 tons in 1806 due to coke-smelting innovations.
- Cotton consumption in Britain grew from 5 million pounds in 1785 to 366 million pounds in 1830, driven by mechanized spinning.
- The value of British exports rose from £14.7 million in 1790 to £57.5 million in 1830, reflecting industrial output surge.
- Steam engine horsepower in UK factories expanded from 10,000 in 1800 to 210,000 by 1830.
- UK's GDP growth averaged 1.8% annually from 1760 to 1830, compared to 0.5% pre-1760.
- Pig iron output in Britain jumped from 68,000 tons in 1788 to 4.7 million tons by 1870.
- The share of cotton in British exports increased from 0.1% in 1760 to 50% by 1830.
- UK textile machinery value rose from £1 million in 1800 to £20 million by 1830.
- Railway mileage in Britain expanded from 0 miles in 1830 to 6,621 miles by 1850.
- Coal exports from UK increased from 100,000 tons in 1800 to 10 million tons by 1860.
- Manufacturing's share of UK GDP grew from 20% in 1760 to 40% by 1831.
- Steam-powered cotton spindles in UK rose from 7 million in 1820 to 20 million by 1833.
- UK's woolen exports doubled from 1815 to 1830, reaching £10 million annually.
- Factory employment in UK textiles grew from 10,000 in 1780 to 200,000 by 1830.
- Britain's share of world industrial production rose from 2% in 1750 to 20% by 1860.
- UK shipbuilding tonnage increased from 50,000 tons in 1800 to 1 million tons by 1860.
- Patent applications in UK surged from 5 per year in 1750 to 1,000 by 1850.
- Capital invested in UK canals rose from £1 million in 1760 to £15 million by 1800.
- Productivity in UK agriculture fell from 70% of GDP in 1700 to 20% by 1850 due to industrialization.
- UK pottery exports grew from 1 million pieces in 1780 to 50 million by 1830.
- Glass production in UK increased from 20,000 tons in 1800 to 200,000 tons by 1850.
- Leather production in Britain doubled between 1800 and 1840 to meet shoe demand.
- UK's chemical industry output rose 10-fold from 1815 to 1850.
- Machine tool production in UK began with 100 units in 1800, reaching 10,000 by 1850.
- Tobacco imports to UK increased from 1 million lbs in 1800 to 20 million lbs by 1830.
- Paper production in Britain grew from 10,000 tons in 1800 to 100,000 tons by 1860.
- Soap manufacturing output in UK tripled from 1820 to 1840.
- Candle production in UK rose from 1 million lbs in 1800 to 15 million lbs by 1850.
- UK beer production increased from 10 million barrels in 1800 to 25 million by 1850.
Economic Growth and Production Interpretation
Labor Conditions and Reforms
- Weekly wages for Lancashire cotton operatives averaged 12 shillings in 1830s.
- Coal miners earned 20 shillings/week but faced 12-hour shifts in 1840s.
- Unemployed rate in industrial towns hit 30% during 1841-42 depression.
- Combination Acts 1799-1800 outlawed unions, leading to 100 arrests yearly.
- Tolpuddle Martyrs 1834 sentenced to 7 years transport for union oath.
- Chartist movement peaked with 3 million signatures on 1839 petition.
- Ten Hours Act 1847 capped women/children work at 10 hours/day.
- Strike participation: 200,000 workers in 1842 plug riots.
- Accident rate: 1,000 factory deaths/year in UK 1840s.
- Pauper apprentices comprised 25% of child workers pre-1834.
- Iron puddlers earned 30 shillings/week amid 1,200°F heat.
- Handloom weavers' income fell from 25 shillings/week in 1800 to 5 shillings by 1830.
- Luddite riots destroyed 1,000 machines in 1811-1816.
- Trade Union Act 1871 legalized unions, membership hit 750,000 by 1875.
- Master and Servant Act prosecutions: 10,000 cases/year in 1830s.
- Swing Riots 1830 involved 100,000 farm laborers demanding 2 shillings/day wage.
- Cooperative societies numbered 1,000 by 1850 with 100,000 members.
- Owen's New Lanark model reduced work to 10.5 hours/day for children.
- Peterloo Massacre 1819: 60,000 protesters, 15 killed demanding suffrage.
Labor Conditions and Reforms Interpretation
Social and Population Changes
- England's population grew from 5.5 million in 1700 to 17.9 million by 1851 census.
- Urban population in England rose from 20% in 1801 to 50% by 1851.
- Life expectancy at birth in Manchester fell to 25 years in 1840s due to industrial conditions.
- Infant mortality in industrial towns reached 300 per 1,000 births in 1840s.
- Average working hours increased to 14-16 per day in factories by 1830.
- Child labor under 10 years comprised 20% of factory workforce in 1833.
- Female mill workers in Lancashire made up 55% of cotton factory employees in 1835.
- Literacy rates in England rose from 50% in 1800 to 75% by 1850.
- Trade union membership grew from 10,000 in 1800 to 1 million by 1850.
- Poor Law relief recipients fell from 10% of population in 1800 to 5% by 1840.
- Migration to cities: 1 million rural to urban in England 1811-1831.
- Marriage age for women dropped from 25 in 1750 to 23 by 1830.
- Family size in industrial areas averaged 6 children in 1840s.
- Cholera outbreak 1831-32 killed 55,000 in England and Wales.
- Crime rates in London rose 50% from 1800 to 1830.
- Sunday school attendance: 1.25 million children in England 1830s.
- Methodist membership grew from 70,000 in 1800 to 500,000 by 1850.
- Proletarian class size expanded to 70% of UK population by 1851.
- Emigration from UK: 2 million to North America 1815-1850.
- Average height of working-class men fell from 5'7" in 1800 to 5'5" by 1840.
- Divorce rates remained under 1 per 10,000 until 1857 reform.
- Public health act 1848 built 1,000 miles of sewers by 1860.
- Factory Act 1833 limited child work to 9 hours/day for ages 9-13.
- Mines Act 1842 banned women and boys under 10 underground.
Social and Population Changes Interpretation
Technological Inventions and Innovations
- James Watt's steam engine patent in 1769 led to 500 engines installed by 1800, producing 10,000 hp.
- The spinning jenny invented by Hargreaves in 1764 spun 8 spindles, later models up to 120 by 1784.
- Arkwright's water frame patented 1769 enabled continuous cotton spinning at 2,000 spindles per mill by 1780.
- Crompton's spinning mule of 1779 combined features, producing 100-fold yarn at 2,000 spindles by 1790.
- Cartwright's power loom patented 1785 wove 100 picks per minute, vs. handloom's 5.
- Trevithick's high-pressure steam locomotive in 1804 hauled 10 tons at 5 mph.
- Stephenson's Rocket locomotive in 1829 achieved 29 mph with 10-ton load.
- Bessemer's converter process 1856 produced 5 tons of steel in 20 minutes.
- Siemens-Martin open-hearth furnace 1856 made 40-ton steel batches.
- Edison's incandescent bulb 1879 lasted 1,200 hours at 16 cp brightness.
- Whitworth's standardized screw threads 1841 reduced machinery assembly time by 80%.
- Nasmyth's steam hammer 1839 forged 5-ton blocks precisely.
- Roberts' planing machine 1817 machined 10-foot iron plates accurately.
- Bramah's hydraulic press 1795 lifted 200 tons.
- Maudslay's screw-cutting lathe 1797 achieved 1/10,000 inch accuracy.
- Fairbairn's wrought-iron beam testing showed 20% strength increase.
- Brunel's Great Western Railway used 7-foot gauge for stability at 60 mph.
- Hot-blast furnace by Neilson 1828 raised temperature to 1,500°C, saving 30% fuel.
- Portland cement by Aspdin 1824 set in 10 minutes under water.
- Telegraph by Wheatstone 1837 transmitted 30 words per minute over 1,000 miles.
- Daguerreotype photography 1839 exposed images in 20 minutes.
- Giffard's steam-powered airship 1852 flew 93 miles at 5 mph.
- Ericsson's caloric engine 1833 produced 1 hp without steam.
- Fowler's plow 1829 turned 1 acre per hour vs. horse's 1/4 acre.
- McCormick's reaper 1831 harvested 12 acres per day.
Technological Inventions and Innovations Interpretation
Urbanization and Infrastructure
- London population exploded from 1 million in 1800 to 2.3 million by 1851.
- Manchester's population grew from 75,000 in 1801 to 300,000 by 1851.
- Liverpool docks expanded to handle 10 million tons cargo annually by 1850.
- Canals built: 4,000 miles in Britain by 1830.
- Gas lighting installed in 1,000 London streets by 1820.
- Sewage in Thames reached 75 million gallons/day by 1850.
- Bazalgette's sewers: 83 miles main, 1,100 miles local by 1870.
- Crystal Palace 1851 housed 6 million visitors over 6 months.
- Road tolls collected £1.5 million/year by 1830 from 22,000 miles turnpikes.
- Public parks created: 2,500 acres in England by 1880.
- Tenements housed 90% of Glasgow workers, 20 per house in 1840s.
- Birmingham population tripled to 233,000 by 1851.
- Leeds gas works lit 5,000 lamps by 1823.
- Iron bridges: 300 built by 1830, starting with Iron Bridge 1779.
- Water supply: Liverpool filtered 20 million gallons/day by 1850.
- Tramways: 200 miles horse-drawn in UK cities by 1870.
- Slum clearance: 10,000 homes demolished in London 1850s.
- Underground railway: 3.75 miles opened 1863, 1.4 million passengers first year.
- Public baths: 100 built post-1846 Act, serving 1 million washes/year.
- Cemetery space: 400 acres new in London by 1850s.
- Stock exchanges: Manchester 1825 traded £100 million annually by 1850.
- Markets: Covent Garden handled 500 tons produce/day by 1840.
- Police force: 3,000 in London by 1830, reduced crime 50%.
- Fire brigades: 50 stations in London by 1865.
Urbanization and Infrastructure Interpretation
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