How much did the Industrial Revolution change society? Did the Industrial Revolution improve life for most people? The only way to investigate these questions is to compare and contrast industrial with pre-industrial society. To do so, we’ll start with pre-industrial life and use it as a baseline standard to contrast to the industrial era after 1750. In doing so, we will also discover a number of ways that the roots of industry run deep into the pre-industrial era. Find out more
England in 1714 was a land of hamlets and villages with larger towns on the coast.
At the beginning of the industrial revolution the social structure of England consisted of four groups:
1. At the top the rich landowning aristocrats who controlled the parliament.
2. Wealthy merchants who were soon to be joined by successful industrialists.
3. Class including craftsmen and artisans who worked long hours for modest incomes - the coming of labour saving machinery threatened their livelihood.
4. At the bottom where the labourers who depended on casual employment and were very poor.
Tools of pre-industrial Society
Which peasant is working with a scythe?
Which peasant is working with a sickle?
Which peasant is working with shears?
Pre-industrial society refers to social attributes and forms of political and cultural organization that were prevalent before the start of the Industrial Revolution, which occurred from 1750 to 1850. Pre-industrial is a time before there were machines and tools to help perform tasks en masse. Pre-industrial civilization dates back to centuries ago, but the main era known as the Pre-Industrial Society occurred right before the industrial society. Pre-Industrial societies vary from region to region depending on the culture of a given area or history of social and political life. Europe is known for its feudal system and Medieval era. Click on the image below to explore the Medieval World.
