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Period: to
Agricultural Revolution & Overcrowded Cities
England improved its farming methods. There was more food, food was cheaper, and the population increased. However, not as many people were needed to farm. More people moved to the cities where they found work in factories. The cities became overcrowded and unsanitary. -
Watt Improves the Steam Engine
James Watt improved the steam engine so it could be widely used to power factories and other machinery -
New Social Classes
As more people move to cities and take jobs in factories, two new social classes are created - the Industrial Middle Class (factory owners) and the Industrial Working Class (the lower class who worked in the factories). Both groups want more rights - particularly voting rights. As Europe industrializes, these social classes develop in other countries as well. -
Steam Locomotive (Steam Train)
George Stephenson uses the steam engine to power the first train. Soon train tracks are built all across Britain. This makes it easy to transport coal to the factories and newly made goods to markets. -
Voting Increases in Britain
More people are granted the right to vote in Britain. Britain will vide even more people suffrage (the right to vote) in 1867, which helps give more voice to the Industrial Working Class and they can fight for reforms. -
Revolutions of 1848
In France, people get rid of the king and create a republic. This allows ALL men to vote, regardless of social class. The right to vote allows people to improve their living and working conditions during the Industrial Revolution Italians and Germans each want to unite their countries but they fail. If they had united, building railroads would have been easier and cheaper. They would have had better markets for the goods made in their factories. -
Improvements in France
Napoleon III, leader of France, orders the construction of more roads, railroads, and canals. This helps France take part in the Industrial Revolution and move more goods from factories to markets where they can be sold. The picture shows how the railroad expanded. The city of Paris also saw improvements. To fix the problems caused by overpopulation (which was caused by the Agricultural Revolution and the creation of factories), Paris gets better sewers and more open spaces. -
Italian Unification
Nationalism causes the smaller states of Italy to unite to form the country of Italy. With more money and more resources, the country can build more factories and railroads. -
Russia Frees the Serfs
Czar Alexander II sees that Russia is falling behind Europe. He realizes the Industrial Revolution and new liberal ideas transformed Europe. To bring Russia up to speed, Alexander II frees the serfs and they become a new peasant social class. Ultimately, this could allow them to work in factories. -
German Unification
Strong feelings of nationalism encourage German states to unify into one big country. The new country of Germany has more money and natural resources so they can build more factories.
