1.16. Technology and Society http://www.ck12.org
Industrial Revolution
Few technologies have impacted society as greatly as the powerful steam engine developed by Scottish inventor
James Watt in 1775 (seeFigure1.18). Watt’s steam engine was soon being used to power all kinds of machines. It
started a revolution in industry. For the first time in history, people did not have to rely on human or animal muscle,
wind, or water for power. With the steam engine to power machines, new factories sprang up all over Britain.
FIGURE 1.18
This is a museum model similar to the
steam engine invented by James Watt.The Industrial Revolution began in Britain the late 1700s. It eventually spread throughout Western Europe, North
America, Japan, and many other countries. It marked a major turning point in human history. Almost every aspect
of daily life was influenced by it in some way. Average income and population both began to grow faster than ever
before. People flocked to the new factories for jobs, and densely populated towns and cities grew up around the
factories. The new towns and cities were crowded, and soot from the factories polluted the air. You can see an
example of this in theFigure1.19. This made living conditions very poor. Working conditions in the factories were
also bad, with long hours and the pace set by machines. Even young children worked in the factories, damaging
their health and giving them little opportunity for education or play.
Q:In addition to factory machines, the steam engine was used to power farm machinery, trains, and ships. What
effects might this have had on people’s lives?
A:Farm machinery replaced human labor and allowed fewer people to produce more food. This is why many rural
people migrated to the new towns and cities to look for work in factories. Steam-powered trains and ships made it
easier for people to migrate. Food and factory goods could also be transported on steam-powered trains and ships,
making them available to far more people.
Summary
- Major advances in technology have influenced every aspect of human society, usually in good ways but
sometimes in bad ways as well. - Almost every aspect of people’s lives was influenced by the Industrial Revolution that followed James Watt’s
invention of a powerful steam engine in 1775.