The Industrial Revolution (^) ‹ 137
The Reciprocal Nature of Heavy Industry
The four major components of the Second Industrial Revolution—the iron and steel indus-
try, the coal industry, steam power, and the railways—had a reciprocal effect on one another:
• The iron and steel industry required improvements in the steam engine to run its blast
furnaces, greater amounts of coal to fuel the engines, and railways to transport both the
coal and the smelted iron and steel.
• The coal industry required more and improved steam engines to pump water out of the
mines and to power digging machinery; it also required railways to transport the coal.
• The steam power industry required iron and steel to forge the engines, coal to run them,
and railways to transport them.
• The railways required huge amounts of steel and iron for the construction of the engines,
cars, and tracks; steam engines to drive the locomotives; and coal to fuel the engines.
Working together, these four industries created an ever-increasing cycle of supply and
demand that drove the Second Industrial Revolution of the nineteenth century.The Spread of Industrialization
The process of industrialization varied greatly across Europe. The Industrial Revolution
started in Great Britain and spread eastward across continental Europe.Great Britain Industrializes First
Great Britain had several natural advantages that help to explain why it was the first to
industrialize and why it held the lead for more than a century:
• It had a well-developed commercial economy that created a merchant class with capital
to invest.
• Great Britain’s extensive river system was ideal for transporting goods throughout the
country.
• The country was rich in coal and iron deposits, two key components of the Industrial
Revolution.
• Unlike much of Europe, Great Britain had no internal tariffs to inhibit trade.
• It had a uniform and stable monetary system and a national banking system.
• Though primarily stimulated by private initiatives, Britain’s political and economic
policies were generally supportive of industrial development, as many industrial interests
were represented in Parliament.
• An example of Britain’s advanced industrial development was the Crystal Palace, a great
glass and iron structure designed to house the first industrial fair in London in 1851.Industrialization Spread Eastward Across Europe
As the Industrial Revolution spread to the continent, it moved eastward in a way that can
be described by four generalizations:• The farther east, the later the process began; for example, France industrialized later than
Great Britain, Germany later than France, and Russia last.17_Bartolini_Ch17_133-142.indd 137 27/04/18 1:55 PM