Industrialization In The 1800s

Before the Industrial Revolution, man produced the products they needed by hand or by basic machines. This meant that production took a much greater time for construction and that the individuals that made certain products had to be specifically trained to master that skill. This would all change by the mid 1800s with the start of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain. “Industrialization refers to a process that transformed agrarian and handicraft-centered economies into economies distinguished by industry and machine manufacture.” (Bentley 492)

The Industrial Revolution was one of the most significant eras in human history. It transformed its society from an agricultural economy to one that lead to industry, machines, and manufacturing. The basic resources for industrialization were iron and textiles, along with the development of the steam engine. Furthermore, the industrial revolution sought improved systems of transportation. It showed the way to such important changes in the way goods were
“Imperialism refers to the domination over subject lands in the larger world”(Bentley 530). European nations wanted to increase their power and pride by taking over new colonies. They claimed to be doing "backward" people a favor by conquering their lands and bringing them Western advancements. However, money played the most import ant force behind imperialism. Therefore, the Industrial Revolution changed Europe from a consumer of manufactured goods to a producer.

The industrial revolution greatly increased productivity in industrialized areas, which led to an increase need for even more raw materials to keep up with the growing demand. As a result, Britain needed a source for raw materials, such as cotton to keep its textile factories running. Europe used the demand for cotton as a part of the plan for British to conquer India, Egypt, and other