Why The Industrial Revolution Started In Britain
Before the Industrial Revolution, most people lived in small towns were the main job was farming.
Life for most people was hard. They made very little money. They did not have much food and got sick a lot.
People grew food, made clothing, furniture and tools. Most things were made in homes and small shops
with simple tools or simple machines.
The Industrial Revolution started in Great Britain at end of the 18th century. It changed the way the
world made things. Britain had a lot of coal and iron that were needed for making things. Britain had a
good structure and was the most powerful country in the world. That means it had a large supply of
materials and could sell things easily. As people wanted more things Britain needed better ways to
make things, so faster machines were created.
Britain’s economy was a big part of why they were the first to start the Industrial Revolution.
During the 1600s, exploring made Britain’s wealth better. British merchants also invested money in
new businesses. To invest means to give some money to businesses with the possibility of making
money if the businesses do well.
England’s rivers helped them in two ways. Fast rivers could be used as a supply of power for machines.
Rivers provided transportation for goods. England’s harbors helped merchant ships. Also, England had coal
and iron mines for supplies for industrialization. Coal was the main way to power machines, and iron was
used to make machines and products. An area in west-central England became known as the Black Country
for its smoke clouds from factories burning coal.
Improvements in farming during the 1700s led to more crops and better livestock that brought more food to the
people. Health and living conditions got better, and the population became bigger. A larger population meant
greater demand for goods and more available labor.
Around the Industrial Revolution Britain believed in mercantilism. Mercantilism is the belief the benefits of making
money by trading. The four factors of production are land, labor, capital and enterprise. Land refers to land
and other natural resources. Labor refers to the physical and mental effort put in by people. Capital has two
meanings. Financial capital is just money that the country has. Physical capital is machinery, equipment, tools
and other things used to make stuff. Enterprise means the putting the other factors of production together.
Trey Martin
Life for most people was hard. They made very little money. They did not have much food and got sick a lot.
People grew food, made clothing, furniture and tools. Most things were made in homes and small shops
with simple tools or simple machines.
The Industrial Revolution started in Great Britain at end of the 18th century. It changed the way the
world made things. Britain had a lot of coal and iron that were needed for making things. Britain had a
good structure and was the most powerful country in the world. That means it had a large supply of
materials and could sell things easily. As people wanted more things Britain needed better ways to
make things, so faster machines were created.
Britain’s economy was a big part of why they were the first to start the Industrial Revolution.
During the 1600s, exploring made Britain’s wealth better. British merchants also invested money in
new businesses. To invest means to give some money to businesses with the possibility of making
money if the businesses do well.
England’s rivers helped them in two ways. Fast rivers could be used as a supply of power for machines.
Rivers provided transportation for goods. England’s harbors helped merchant ships. Also, England had coal
and iron mines for supplies for industrialization. Coal was the main way to power machines, and iron was
used to make machines and products. An area in west-central England became known as the Black Country
for its smoke clouds from factories burning coal.
Improvements in farming during the 1700s led to more crops and better livestock that brought more food to the
people. Health and living conditions got better, and the population became bigger. A larger population meant
greater demand for goods and more available labor.
Around the Industrial Revolution Britain believed in mercantilism. Mercantilism is the belief the benefits of making
money by trading. The four factors of production are land, labor, capital and enterprise. Land refers to land
and other natural resources. Labor refers to the physical and mental effort put in by people. Capital has two
meanings. Financial capital is just money that the country has. Physical capital is machinery, equipment, tools
and other things used to make stuff. Enterprise means the putting the other factors of production together.
Trey Martin