2.3.2 The Industrial Revolution
Completion requirements
2.3.2 The Industrial Revolution
How did historical globalization and imperialism shape today's world?
The
Agricultural Revolution and the
Industrial Revolution had important roles in the rise of imperialism.
As you read, think about the similarities between the past and globalization today.
The Agricultural Revolution occurred when farmers began to use better technology and new ideas that led to increased food production. They also began to take ownership of land that was once used by everyone for grazing their sheep and cattle. This meant many small farm operators no longer had enough land to support their families. More food meant more people, and more unemployment.
The larger farms were more productive, and the food was sold for cash. However, the people who once farmed smaller plots of land had no way to make money to buy this food. They moved to larger centres to look for work.
This movement of people is called urbanization, and it occurs around the world still today.
The Industrial Revolution occurred soon after the Agricultural Revolution. New inventions were used to produce goods and improve transportation and communication. Large numbers of unemployed people moved to the cities where factories were being built. With the factories came better transportation networks-roads, canals, and ocean-going ships. Better ships meant that people could travel farther, which led to contact with people from North America, Africa, and Asia. These new worlds contained valuable resources such as gold, timber, fur, and fish that could be traded for the manufactured goods made in Europe.
Soon, the people of Europe and the other continents began to trade goods and resources. Products from Asia, the Americas, and Africa, including tobacco, sugar, tea, fur, and minerals, were traded for manufactured goods such as beads, pots and pans, cloth, and knives. British merchants made huge profits from their trade with other nations. They were able to invest in these new industries. British merchants and industrialists or entrepreneurs explored new ways to make money by taking risks and investing in new ventures.
This was the beginning of modern globalization.
Slavery: Europeans began to use the labour of people from other lands to increase their profits. Although some of the these people were willing to work for very little pay, most were forced to work as slaves. African people were captured and brought to the Americas where they were put to work on sugar and cotton plantations. The slave trade made many Europeans and Americans rich. It connected people around the world by bringing thousands of African people to North, South, and Central America.
Today, we believe slavery is wrong, but in the past, slave owners did not think of their slaves as people who were entitled to the same rights and freedoms that they enjoyed. Human trafficking still occurs today. You will learn more about it in unit eight.
As you read, think about the similarities between the past and globalization today.
The Agricultural Revolution occurred when farmers began to use better technology and new ideas that led to increased food production. They also began to take ownership of land that was once used by everyone for grazing their sheep and cattle. This meant many small farm operators no longer had enough land to support their families. More food meant more people, and more unemployment.
The larger farms were more productive, and the food was sold for cash. However, the people who once farmed smaller plots of land had no way to make money to buy this food. They moved to larger centres to look for work.
This movement of people is called urbanization, and it occurs around the world still today.
Example: Jason from Drumheller
Today, the "family farm" is disappearing. My grandpa was a farmer, but he sold a lot of his land when my dad decided he didn't want to farm. I would like to take over the land that is left, but it is not enough to make a living. There is land for sale, but I can't afford to buy it because the big farmers have driven the prices up so much. Farming is no longer a family business, it is being controlled by big business. Where does that leave someone like me?
Today, the "family farm" is disappearing. My grandpa was a farmer, but he sold a lot of his land when my dad decided he didn't want to farm. I would like to take over the land that is left, but it is not enough to make a living. There is land for sale, but I can't afford to buy it because the big farmers have driven the prices up so much. Farming is no longer a family business, it is being controlled by big business. Where does that leave someone like me?
The Industrial Revolution occurred soon after the Agricultural Revolution. New inventions were used to produce goods and improve transportation and communication. Large numbers of unemployed people moved to the cities where factories were being built. With the factories came better transportation networks-roads, canals, and ocean-going ships. Better ships meant that people could travel farther, which led to contact with people from North America, Africa, and Asia. These new worlds contained valuable resources such as gold, timber, fur, and fish that could be traded for the manufactured goods made in Europe.
Soon, the people of Europe and the other continents began to trade goods and resources. Products from Asia, the Americas, and Africa, including tobacco, sugar, tea, fur, and minerals, were traded for manufactured goods such as beads, pots and pans, cloth, and knives. British merchants made huge profits from their trade with other nations. They were able to invest in these new industries. British merchants and industrialists or entrepreneurs explored new ways to make money by taking risks and investing in new ventures.
This was the beginning of modern globalization.
Digging Deeper
Click to play a video about the Industrial Revolution — from the U.S. based
Crash Course History.
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Slavery: Europeans began to use the labour of people from other lands to increase their profits. Although some of the these people were willing to work for very little pay, most were forced to work as slaves. African people were captured and brought to the Americas where they were put to work on sugar and cotton plantations. The slave trade made many Europeans and Americans rich. It connected people around the world by bringing thousands of African people to North, South, and Central America.
Today, we believe slavery is wrong, but in the past, slave owners did not think of their slaves as people who were entitled to the same rights and freedoms that they enjoyed. Human trafficking still occurs today. You will learn more about it in unit eight.
Example: Mira from Nepal
I used to live in a small village in Nepal. Some men came to my village and told the parents of the young, unmarried girls that they would find us good jobs if we paid them a fee. My parents wanted the best for me, so they gave the men all the money they had. When we got to the city, the men became very mean. They yelled and called us names. We were given very little food or water. We were taken to the shipping dock and locked in a small room in the bottom of a large cargo boat. It was unbearably hot. Two of the girls died on the trip, but our captors did not care. We were no longer humans; we were just a product. We arrived in a large city where we could not speak the language, and we were locked up night and day. Some girls were forced to become household servants where they received no pay. Others were forced into prostitution.
I used to live in a small village in Nepal. Some men came to my village and told the parents of the young, unmarried girls that they would find us good jobs if we paid them a fee. My parents wanted the best for me, so they gave the men all the money they had. When we got to the city, the men became very mean. They yelled and called us names. We were given very little food or water. We were taken to the shipping dock and locked in a small room in the bottom of a large cargo boat. It was unbearably hot. Two of the girls died on the trip, but our captors did not care. We were no longer humans; we were just a product. We arrived in a large city where we could not speak the language, and we were locked up night and day. Some girls were forced to become household servants where they received no pay. Others were forced into prostitution.
Digging Deeper
Click to play a video about slavery — from the US-based
https://subbable.com/crashcourse.