Activities

Complete the following notes. They will give you an outline of the information contained in the passage. The main points, relations of cause-effect, illustrations etc. are clearly indicated in the text by logical connectors. Look out for them.

• (par. 1) The Industrial Revolution replaced competition for the mediaeval regulations and it is one of the most important facts of English history. It led to growth of two systems of thought:

1) Economic Science 2) Socialism

• (par. 2-3) Facts of Industrial Revolution.

• (par. 4) Decrease in rural population.

causes:

1) the destruction of the common-field system of cultivation

2) the enclosure, on a large scale, of common and waste lands

3) the consolidation of small farms into large

• (par. 5) Agricultural advance.

cause — more scientific approach:

e.g.

period

breed of cattle

steam-plough

agricultural societies

• (par. 6-7) Growth of industry.

causes;

1) mechanical inventions in textile industry

e.g.

spinning-jenny

water-frame

Crompton's mule

self-acting mule first invented by Kelly

most important:

steam engine

loom

2) mechanical revolution in iron industry

e.g.

invention of smelting by pit-coal

the application of the steam-engine to blast furnaces

3) improved means of communication

e.g.

canal system

roads

railroad

results:

1) increase in commerce

2) substitution of factory system for domestic system.

• (par. 8) Revolution in distribution of wealth:

rise in rents caused by

1) money invested in improvements

2) enclosure system

3) consolidation of farms

4) high price of corn

social changes in country life:

the farmers held their farms under beneficial leases and made large profits by them.

• (par. 9) Social changes in manufacturing world:

a direct consequence of the expansion of trade was the regular recurrence of periods of over-production and of depression

consequences:

1) the farmers became a distinct class

2) high prices

3) class conflict.

• (par. 10) Misery of working people often caused by:

1) fall in wages

2) conditions of labour under the factory system

3) the rise of prices

Conclusion:

The Industrial Revolution brought wealth, due to the improvement of agricoltural and industrial, but did not bring the well-being. In fact, industries led to improvement of living conditions, totally changed the castumes of the population, and led to modern and rich economic, so the discontent decrised. The industry needed labor, which was popular among the people, even women, and even children. This class was called the proletariat, because the workers had no wealth except their children. They were also forced to work in the mines, with long hours and not very lucrative salaries; moreover, the salary rapresented an innovation.

Summary of text

The text, written by Arnold Toynbee, examines the features and consequences of the Industrial Revolution in the Western world in the nineteenth century. The Industrial Revolution is a long process started in Great Britain and then developed in all Europe, and it is one of the most important facts of English history. It led to growth of two systems of thought: Economic Science and Socialism. The development of economic science is composed of four phases, each related to the name of an important English economist. It happened because there were changes in thinking; seminal books produced new ideas and alimented production. Many people moved from the countries to the towns and became workers.

The main facts of the Industrial Revolution are the population growth and the relative and positive decline in the agricultural population. The decrease in rural population happened because of three reasons: the destruction of the common-field system of cultivation, the enclosure of common and waste lands, and the consolidation of small farms into large. This change led to an improvement from an agricultural point of view with the introduction, for example, the steam-plow, agricultural societies.

The growth of industry was caused by the mechanical inventions in the textile industry, for example, the steam engine and the loom, the mechanical revolution in iron industry and the improved means of communication with the construction of canals, roads and railroads.This development led to an increase in commerce and the substitution of factory system for domestic system.

There was a rise in rents caused by the money invested in improvements, the enclosure system, the consolidation of farms and the high price of corn during the French war. So the farmers got a great benefit.

The consequences of social changes were the growth of the distint calss of farmers, the high prices and the class conflict. The misery affected many working people and it was often caused by the fall in wages, conditions of labour under the factory system and rise of prices.