The Causes of the Industrial Revolution (Essay Sample)

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Industrial Revolution
The industrial revolution describes an era of intense mechanisation in the European countries and parts of America. It was a critical period for the world, as it marked its entry into the machine era and the voluminous production of goods and services. It began in England but slowly spread to the other nations of the world. The theme of this paper is the factors and causes that led to the industrial revolution (Hamen 78).
Most products currently in use today by the industrialized countries are as a result of mass production. They are either produced by people or by machines that work in the factories assembly line. In the ancient times, people did not enjoy the luxury of such products. It was the norm, to spend long, tedious hours of manual labour on a mere object or tool. The power utilized in the processing was entirely human or animal driven. The industrial revolution is the name given to the time when machines changed people’s lives and improvement in the manufacturing processes (Sands & Sean 78).
During the era of the American Revolution, machine application to produce cloth in bulk and use steam engines to run them was prevalent. By the year 1850, most Britons were working in the industrial towns. Therefore, Great Britain came to be known as the workshop of the world as everything was produced and exported from the UK. From Britain, the Industrial Revolution spread throughout the vicinity of Europe and to the neighbouring United States (Allport 37).
Transformations that resulted in the Revolution
The most crucial changes that led to the Industrial Revolution were: the use of steam, the invention of machines, mass usage of electric power, and the adoption of the factory system. These inventions replaced the reliance on human muscles and animals. It is virtually impossible to picture the world without machines to facilitate work efficiency. The effects of the Industrial Revolution are so deeply ingrained into the structure of the daily human routine that life without it would be impossible. The world without electricity for power, automobiles and airplanes for quick transportation, and telephones for communication would be stagnant (Hamen 48).
The industrial revolution occurred over a long period. This is about the time that people worked entirely by hand. It was until the year 1733 when John Kay invented the flying shuttle and 31 years later James Hargreaves the spinning jenny; that industrial revolution began to manifest (Sands & Sean 102). The procedure for cloth making had been the same for thousands of years before these two inventions. By the year1800, many devices were being used in both manufacturing and transportation industries. These instant changes in people’s lifestyle are referred to as the revolution. It is different from a political revolution, which in contrast, would have come to an end at a particular time in history. Additionally, it differs in the great effect it has had on people’s lives globally. There are many factors that collectively, played a role in causing the industrial revolution (Sands & Sean 45).
Firstly, Increase in trade in Europe and globally led to the industrial revolution. The increase in commerce strained the manufacturing sector and thus had to innovate new methods of meeting the growing demand to maximize their profits. Trade and industry have always been intertwined. They are always in competition and move in tandem. During the 1400s, world commerce grew sporadically; hence, the term commercial revolution was coined for that era. Many factors led to the increase of trade in Europe and its neighbours; consequently leading to an increase in demand for faster and efficient modes of manufacture. During the 1750s, large quantities of goods were being exchanged between Europe and its neighbours prompting increase in demand. England was at the time a world leader in commerce, and the manufacture of cloth was its leading industry (Allport 46).
Secondly, there was Rise of Medieval production systems. Methods of manufacturing goods before the Industrial Revolution. Families in county districts produced their food, clothing and other items for consumption. In the cities, production was in the shops, like those of the medieval craftsmen. Manufacturing was strictly regulated by the government and the guilds. Commodities manufactured in these stores, though of high quality, were limited in number, variety, and were costly. The merchants needed larger quantities at a cheaper price, thus leading to the industrial revolution (Sands & Sean 35).
Thirdly, there was Increase in technology. This era saw the discovery of new items of technology in the textile, communication, transport, and processing industries. These resulted in cheaper means of production that was efficient and cost effective (Hillstrom 56).
Fourthly, there was Growth of learning institutions caused by a great demand for knowledge in the 1700s.This period saw the opening of many institutions of learning that specialized in engineering and other technological fields. England had invested in many universities that taught and inspired many young investors to take up physics and engineering. These institutions nurtured scholars and great thinkers, who helped the actualization of the industrial revolution (Mooney Et al 90).
Fifthly, there was the presence of a large Labour force. The population had increased significantly; therefore, labour was easily available in Eur