A Harsh Way of LifeA Harsh Way of Life

•Time was measured by seasons and church

•Farmed•Lived under threat of disease•High infant death rate

–Life expectancy around 40

•Most lived in rural areas– In small villages

Village LifeVillage Life

• Wealthy farmers owned village land– Rented to small farmers– Each family owned different strips– Farmed collectively

• Economies– Limited to their area

• Nearly impossible to transport goods

• Wealthy lived on large estates• Entire families were dedicated to

farming

Early IndustriesEarly Industries

• Small industries were present in addition to farming– Helped farmers during harvest

• Started domestic system– Worked out of their homes

• Benefits– Workers set own hours– Could continue farming

tasks– Provided work and income

during hard times

• Found in wool and coal industry

The Beginnings of ChangeThe Beginnings of Change

• Enclosure Movement– Landowners could enclose lands– Small farmers had to move to cities to find

work– Large landowners found more effective

methods

• Great Britain Leads the Way– Possessed needed key elements

• Money and industry• Natural resources – iron and coal• Large labor supply

– Entrepreneurs ready to take risks

Growing Textile IndustriesGrowing Textile Industries

• Domestic system could not keep up with cotton demand

• Advances in machinery were made– Advancements in spinning cotton first– Growing need for

cotton•Eli Whitney invented

cotton gin– Cleaned cotton 50 times

faster than a human

The Factory SystemThe Factory System

• New machinery was too large and expensive for home use– Start of factory system

• Initially used horse and water power– James Watt designed steam engine to

provide more power

• Industrial Developments– Factory machinery increased demand for

iron and steel• Came up with methods to make steel

inexpensively• Improved water transportation