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Western Economic Development During the British Industrial Revolution

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Appalachian state University | Western Economic Development During the British Industrial Revolution | | | | 11/2/2015 |

Industrial Revolution: The Transition
The Industrial Revolution was a period during which predominantly agrarian, rural societies in Europe and America became industrial and urban (History, 2015). It took place from the 18th to 19th century. The first industrial revolution began in Britain, and the innovations in this region spread to other nations who also began transitioning from agricultural to industrial. The industrial revolution led to expansion on trade, increased standard of living, and the growth of cities and many of these improvements were the result of technological improvements.
Economic Development
The Industrial Revolution was a time for tremendous economic development. The western economy was transformed by the Industrial Revolution. New iron, steam-powered ships, along with other technological advances, made international trade cheaper, safer, and more efficient. The Factory System was perfected with the assembly line. Products moved along a conveyor belt, with each worker contributing labor along the way to create a finished product. The work came to the workers, saving time. Industrialization destroyed workers’ independence. Workers relied entirely upon their employers for wages with which they bought everything they needed. Technological Advances
Technological advances played a large role in the expansion of the western economy during the Industrial Revolution. The transition of the Western economy from being primarily agricultural to being industrial took much longer than that of Great Britain during the Industrial Revolution, but this transition did happen eventually. This delay was due in part by a great amount of land but the lack of workers (Independence Hall Association, 2014). There was virtually

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