Rise of Industrial Society in Western Europe

I selected this as the first unit since it explores many ideas that will continue to be discussed throughout the course. I explore both the economics and the social cost of the industrial revolution. Central Question for the Unit: What are the positive and negative results of business activity with people’s lives?  

Course Lecture PowerPoint Slides and Other Materials

• Instructor Master PP Slides This includes all slides displayed by instructor which includes images, maps, and supplemental information slides that students do not need to take notes. These slides may contain supplemental information for the instructor in the "notes" of each slide.

• Student PP Slides Only included are the slides they need to know for upcoming assignments.

Course Lecture Video Recordings

• Music Video Overview of the Unit (3:23 minutes) "Life" was performed by Beckah Shae. I selected this song since the lyrics talk about what is the "good life". Some question whether the Industrial Revolution really brought the "good life" to the working class.

• (Video) Part One

• (Video) Part Two

• (Video) Part Three

• (Video) Part Four

• (Video) Part Five

• (Video) Part Six

Required Readings and Media

• Study Guide Questions for Assigned Readings and Media

• Barker (1989), Business as Usual? London and Industrial Revolution. (PDF)

• Gahli (1996), Personal History of Women Workers in Ind. Rev. (PDF)

• Ibsen, A Doll's House (PDF)

• Morris (1983), Industrial Revolution: Class and Common Interest (PDF)

Unit Activities

• Marx and Engels, The Communist Manifesto (PDF) This short excerpt will be discussed during class.

• Pollard & Holmes (1968), Discipline in the New Factories (PDF) This short excerpt will be discussed during class.

Supplemental Learning Materials (Not required for major exams)

• BBC, Online Cotton Manufacturing Game (Website) Who wants to be a cotton millionaire? The online simulation lets you make choices for manufacturing. It requires balancing choices that benefit the factory and also the workers.

• Dunn, Workhorse of the Industrial Revolution: Hudson River Waterfalls (PDF)

• Goldin, Strength and Power in the Industrial Revolution (PDF)

• Jacobs and Others (2015), Behind Deadly Tianjin Blast, Shortcuts and Lax Rules (PDF)

• McKelwahy, Child labor in the Carolinas (PDF)

• Mohl (1976), The Industrial City (PDF)

• Rhoades (2012), The Power of Power (PDF)

• Benjamin Franklin and Roots of Inventiveness (PDF)

• Cotton and the Industrial Revolution (PDF)

• History of Science and Technology (2004), The Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution (PDF)