A self-sufficient and self-contained discipline is important for its own sake. By providing a coherent, intelligible account of the past, it satisfies a profound human yearning for knowledge about our roots. It requires no justification other than that.
---T.S. Hamerow
A man without knowledge with his prior is a man of no prospect. We have been this far where everything is almost high-end; from the food we eat, clothes we wear, the way we communicate and transport, and to the devices we exploit. Yet, how come we have been in here? We certainly owe it to our past. Our ancestors contributed much knowledge, skills, processes, and technology from their time, which we, descendants, adopt and adapt at these times for our sake and motives. Without these, we definitely were not able to make this far, e.g. magnetic levitation trains are not probably here without the knowledge brought to us by Michael Faraday, for his electromagnetic induction principle. Looking back to in different times is an utmost privilege to the extent that, one is able to know how that particular time contributes and plays a significant role to present and future. Moreover, one has the chance to reflect and evaluate what was that particular time all about and to consider the greatest innovation e.g. technology known to it. The economic phenomenon known as the Industrial Revolution is one of two fundamental transformations of the economic environment in human civilization (the other was the introduction of agriculture). Industrialization first took shape in the late 18th century in Western Europe, particularly Britain. During the first decades of the 19th century, its features quickly spread to places like France, Germany, Belgium, and the United States. In the first years of the 20th century, it spread to places outside of Europe and North America, particularly to Japan. By the end of the 20th century, industrialization or its effects had reached almost every corner of the globe. The period of Industrial Revolution (18th century-present) is indeed a prolific period known to man, because it contributes much to the growth and development of science, technology, and precisely with the society. It is considered because of various noticeable accounts, which have greatly impacted with such growth and development. This is known to be the period of anything but everything. The Industrial Revolution is the result of many fundamental, interrelated changes that transformed agricultural economies into industrial ones. In this period, the major concern and definitely the most immediate changes is in the nature of “production”. This was because productivity and technical efficiency grew dramatically, in part through the systematic application of scientific and practical knowledge to the manufacturing processes. As in this period the rapid applications of science and machinery to agriculture to produce greater yield had begun. Moreover, people in this time had the extreme zealous desire to what was produced, as well as where and how to produce. The consequence of this is the Industrial Revolution leads to the growth of cities as people moved from rural areas into urban communities in search of work and different prospects. Furthermore, technologies rise dramatically in every portion of the world. These technologies are the ones that bring also dramatic growth and development to science, technology, and society. Technologies in this period that bring infinite opportunities to man are; steam engine, threshing machine, steam power, electromagnetic induction, photography, computer, telegraph, photographic paper, telephone, phonograph, electric light, motor car, x-rays and radioactivity, air transportation, rocket and space flight, the atomic bomb, DNA, and the internet/3W. With these technologies in this period, it seems nothing is impossible, man can possibly do whatever he wanted and make his life at supremacy. Thus, this period is considered to be much more living with than other periods like the pre-historic and the middle ages where many things were not yet fully furnished and man depends on his bare hands to perform a work. However, with these technologies, one can over-stand the others, and that is the “electricity and magnetism” as if almost all the technologies in this period use electricity or applies the principle of electricity or magnetism in order to function (e.g. the computers will not operate without electric power, airplanes will not fly without engine which uses electricity and magnetism, electric light as its name implies uses electricity, x-rays will not work without light pump which uses electricity, etc.). Humans have known about the existence of electricity for thousands of years, but scientists did not make great progress in understanding electricity until this period. It is in this period that the principle of electricity and its applications became clearer to man, because of the various innovations made by scientific pursuit. We are indeed familiar to the work of Volta, Oersted, Ampere, Ohm, Henry, Faraday, etc.., which gave us the knowledge about electricity and magnetism. Moreover, now in these times electricity is the technology man would never want to get off with compare to other technologies. As reflective experienced, I would rather lose my cellphone than electricity. Why is that? I cannot use cellphone to cook, but with electricity I can. Just take this as a simple example, because you just like me would never want electricity to get off with. And for this, I give you the privilege to correct me if ever I have mistaken. As all things always have two sides, pros and cons, the period of Industrial Revolution also has drawbacks. Industrialization has brought factory pollutants and greater land use, which have harmed the natural environment. In particular, the application of machinery and science to agriculture has led to greater land use and, therefore, extensive loss of habitat for animals and plants. Drastic population growth following industrialization has contributed to the decline of natural habitats and resources. These factors, in turn, have caused many species to become extinct or endangered. Moreover, being the major drawback about technological improvement is the dehumanize thing. People nowadays become more dependent to technology and they tend to lose the essence of hard work and innovativeness. Sometimes technology like computer is being use to harm other people physically, emotionally, or mentally. They are also being use in a very terrifying warfare between nations (e.g. atomic bomb, missile, etc.). Knowing all this information about this specific period gives knowledge on how this period develops, what its significant role to the lives of every certain individual, and significant role to how it contributes and plays to past, present, and future. By understanding the causes, the variations, and the historic consequences of the Industrial Revolution, we can better understand our present circumstances and, hopefully, shape the future. Moreover, it gives man better appreciation by evaluating and reflecting with its cogs.
