An age of revolutions (p. 182-183)

 

EXERCISE 1

A-2

B-3

C-1

 

EXERCISE 2

The last decade of the 18^th century  were marked by great revolutions: the Agrarian and Industrial revolutions reshaped the social and political background in Britain; the British colonies on the other side of the Atlantic became a new and free nation, and French revolution, followed by Napoleonic conquests, spread ideas of freedom and equality all over the Europe. All this was naturally to affect all the cultural and literal aspect of life.

 

What changes were there in Britain at the end of the 18^th century?

Britain changed from a mainly farmer country to an industrial one.

 

What caused this change?

Towards 1750 there was a great increase in population, which meant a greater demand for pots, beer and, above all, clothes. The times really required quicker, more efficient production.

 

What did the ‘Industrial Revolution’ imply?

It implied new technologies and inventions, the development of the factory system, new sources of power and transport.

 

What were the most important inventions?

The most important inventions regarded machinery for cloth-making, such as James Hargreaves’s ‘spinning jenny’ and Richard Arkwright’s ‘water frame’. These machines allowed one man or woman to produce what had once required many workers.

 

What fuelled these machines?

At first most of the use used to drive machinery came from water, but the need for more energy brought the development of steam power. In 1775 James Watt patented en engine that was more powerful and wasted less fuel than its predecessors.

 

What was the effect of Watt’s invention?

As a result of the introduction of the steam engine, new factories were built on the coal and iron fields of Lancashire, Yorkshire, central Scotland and South Wales. These new factories allowed Britain to manufacture more cheaply than elsewhere, but also put many people out of work.

 

How did changes in transport affect the Revolution?

Goods became cheaper as transport was made more efficient. New waterways were built and road conditions were improved. Fast road travel and cheap transport by canal made the economic success of the Industrial Revolution possible.

 

What changes occurred in agriculture?

There were also great changes in agriculture. The Agrarian Revolution was connected to the Industrial Revolution because they both used technological inventions.

 

What forms did the Agrarian Revolution take?

It took 2 principal forms:the widespread enclosure of ‘open fields’ and common land to make larger, more efficient farms; improvements of the selective breeding of cattle to produce more meat, and in farming techniques such as crop rotation and mechanization.

 

EXERCISE 3

1-C technologies

2-H inventions

3-E sources of power

4-B steam engine

5-F manufacture

6-G waterways

7-D enclosure

8-A improvements

 

EXERCISE 4

• The Agrarian and Industrial revolutions implied many technologies.
• The most important inventions regarded machinery for cloth-making that allowed one person to produce what had once required many workers.
• At first the main source of power  used to drive machinery was water, but the need for more energy brought to the development of steam engine.
• As a result of the introduction of the steam engine, new factories were built which allowed Britain to manufacture cloth more cheaply than elsewhere, but also put many people out of work.
• Waterways and road conditions improvements made possible the economic success of the Industrial Revolution.
• The Agriculture Revolution took 2 principal form: the widespread enclosure of ‘open fields’ and common land to make larger, more efficient farms; improvements in the selective breeding of cattle to produce more meat, and in farming technique.