Introduction

Chapter 9, The Industrial Revolution, shows the changes all across the world, from 1700 to 1900, agricultural states shifted to industrialized states. As the need for change erupted in many nations, ideas rose to the challenge of improving the work place. There were spurs of revolutions in technology which allowed the working life to essentially get easier. Although, with all this advancement came some negativities. The working conditions spiralled downward and this forced some controversy to break out.

3.2.1. Summary

 
Three things I learned in this chapter:

1. Communism really isn't as bad as what most of Americans think. It is made to look bad because most communist countries are ruled by dictators who oppress their people.
2. Working conditions were horrible. I never thought that children would be working up to 14 hours in one day, and for such little pay.
3. That slavery first ended in Britain.

Two things that interested me:

1. All the inventions and the impact they made on our society today. It's amazing.
2. The middle class was created during the industrial revolution.

One question I still have:

1. I would like to see what kind of inventions come in the future and if these inventions will spark a new industrial revolution.

Inventions of the Industrial Revolution

Cotton Gin:

Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin. The cotton gin automated the separation of cottonseed from the short-staple cotton fiber. It made mass production of cotton possible. Prior to this invention, cotton picking meant long hours and many laborers. The cotton gin made this work more efficient.

Telephone:

Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in the 1870s. This device could transmit speech electronically and allowed for a quicker, simpler means of communication. The telephone changed the world of communication forever.

Steam Engine:

James Watt did not invent the first steam engine, but he did perfect it. The idea was brought about by Thomas Savery then improved by Thomas Newcomen but still wasn't completely reliable. In the 1760s, Watt was put to the task of repairing one of Newcomen's designs. This new engine became dominant during the Industrial Revolution and led to new means of transportation from railroad car to boats.

Connection Across Time

An -ISM of TODAY-

***COMMUNISM is...an economic system in which all means of production are owned by the people, private property does not exsist, and all the goods and services are shared equally***

Today communism exsists in only 5 countries: China, Cuba, North Korea, Laos, and Vietnam. 

Reform

Abolition of Slavery

In Britain, William Wilberforce led the fight for abolition in the British Empire. He was a member of Parliament who fought to get laws passed that would bring an end to slavery and the slave trade. Wilberforce retired from Parliament in 1825 and Britain finally abolished slavery in its empire in 1833.

In the United States, the idea of abolishing slavery in order to reach the promises of the Declaration of Independence. The enslavement of African Americans ended with the Unions victory in the Civil War in 1865.
The end of slavery continued to spread. In 1873, slavery came to a stop in Puerto Rico. Spain finally ended slavery in 1886 and in 1888, Brazil's large slave population finally got their freedom.

I thought it was interesting that Britain was the first nation to end slavery. We learn a lot about the abolishment of slavery in our own nation and ignore that other nations across the world went through the same battle to end slavery. I really enjoyed reading about the abolishment of slavery in other places than the United Sates.

One Connection Across Time

Apple iPod

Apple introduced the idea for its own portable music device on October 31, 2001. Steve Jobs came up with the idea and, at first, no one believed it would go anywhere. The iPod revolutionized the entire music industry. It helped lead to new capabilities in portable devices. This invention is still changing technology today.