BHP Lesson 38: The Industrial Revolution

Many of the comforts of our modern life can be traced to the Industrial Revolution, from the clothes we wear to the foods we eat. Alphonse the camel returns as co-host to examine how the Industrial Revolution transformed the way goods were produced and life as we know it. 

Driving Question: How did change accelerate?

  • How has the world changed since you’ve been born? In my own life, I’ve witnessed the widespread adoption of the personal computer as well as the invention of the Internet, smart phones, and social media. I’ve gone from storing my work on a floppy disk to securing most of my information in “the cloud” (wherever that is). It seems like technological change happens more rapidly now than in the past. Our ability to innovate is growing exponentially. What version of the iPhone are we on now? I’ve lost track. 
  • Most of this acceleration can be traced back to one pivotal moment in history, the Industrial Revolution. This turning point marked the first time when we really harnessed energy in a way that dramatically changed our lives. 

Word of the Day: Industrial Revolution

  • Definition: A period of technological innovation starting in England during the late 18th century that resulted in a major change in the way goods were produced and caused a significant shift in global economics. 
  • The Industrial Revolution marked the first time in history we used machines to mass produce our goods. The machines were fueled by new sources of energy, especially coal, which was abundant and accessible in England. Steam engines, which initially helped keep coal mines from flooding, were eventually adapted for all kinds of other industrial purposes. These improvements increased quality of life, led to population growth, and changed the nature of our global trade relationships. 

Lesson

  • Go to Khan Academy and read the article, “The Industrial Revolution.”
  • As you read, keep track of the ways that life changed as a result of the Industrial Revolution. How did early steam engines accelerate this change? The Industrial Revolution eventually spread beyond Great Britain. Pay attention to the ways industrialization and colonialism accelerated. What were the consequences of these new fast-paced changes?

Historian’s Journal Prompt

  • Has the Industrial Revolution ended?
  • In just the last couple decades, the Digital Revolution has radically altered the ways we communicate, send information, and just interact with technology on a day to day basis. The way our data is being shared and used is on a truly science-fiction level, and that can be a little scary sometimes. New technologies are emerging each day, as well as new ways to use them to help make people’s lives easier and better. Think about some technologies that you use every day, and how they help make your day to day life easier. Is there anything you would change about them? And how might these technologies be seen as a continuation of the Industrial Revolution?    
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