Glossary
Bourgeoisie (Capitalist Class)
The wealthy and powerful class that owned the means of production, such as factories and businesses, and drove the capitalist system during the Industrial Revolution.
Example:
The wealthy factory owner, who invested in new machinery and expanded his textile empire, was a prime example of the Bourgeoisie.
Child Labor
The employment of children in industry or business, often in harsh conditions and at young ages, which was widespread during the Industrial Revolution.
Example:
Many families relied on their children's meager wages, forcing young children to work long hours in textile mills, a common form of child labor.
Consumer Culture
A social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts, fueled by mass production during the Industrial Revolution.
Example:
The availability of affordable printed fabrics and household goods led to the emergence of a consumer culture, where people increasingly bought non-essential items.
Cult of Domesticity
A prevailing 19th-century ideology that idealized women's role as confined to the home, focusing on household duties, child-rearing, and moral guidance within the family.
Example:
Middle-class women were expected to embody the cult of domesticity, managing the household and raising children while their husbands worked outside the home.
Environmental Awareness
The growing recognition and concern among people about the negative impacts of human activities, particularly industrialization, on the natural environment.
Example:
Early reformers and scientists began to raise environmental awareness about the dangers of factory waste dumped into rivers, leading to calls for cleaner practices.
Feminist Movement
A series of social and political movements advocating for women's rights and gender equality, which began to challenge traditional roles like the cult of domesticity during this period.
Example:
Early suffragettes, demanding the right to vote, were part of the nascent feminist movement that sought to dismantle restrictive gender norms.
Industrial Revolution
A period of major industrialization and innovation that began in Great Britain in the late 18th century, fundamentally transforming societies from agrarian and handicraft economies to industrial and urban ones.
Example:
The Industrial Revolution led to the invention of the steam engine, which powered factories and trains, drastically changing transportation and production.
Middle Class
A social class composed of professionals, business owners, and managers who gained influence and affluence during the Industrial Revolution due to their education and skills.
Example:
A factory manager, with his steady income and comfortable home, represented the rising middle class that shaped Victorian society's values.
Pollution
The introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment, such as air, water, and land, which became widespread due to industrial factories and coal burning.
Example:
The thick, black smog hanging over industrial cities like London was a direct result of factory chimneys spewing pollution from burning coal.
Resource Depletion
The exhaustion of natural resources, such as coal, oil, and timber, due to overconsumption and unsustainable practices, a significant consequence of industrialization.
Example:
The insatiable demand for energy to power factories led to rapid resource depletion of coal reserves across Great Britain.
Service Industry
The sector of the economy that provides services rather than goods, which expanded significantly during the Industrial Revolution to cater to urban populations and new leisure activities.
Example:
The growth of railways, theaters, and public baths signaled the expansion of the service industry as people had more leisure time and disposable income.
Social Immobility
The difficulty or inability for individuals or groups to move between social classes, often due to rigid class structures and limited opportunities.
Example:
Despite hard work, a coal miner's son often found himself trapped in the same profession, illustrating the pervasive social immobility of the era.
Tenement Housing
Overcrowded, unsanitary, and poorly constructed apartment buildings in urban slums, where the working class often lived during the Industrial Revolution.
Example:
Families crammed into single rooms in tenement housing, sharing communal outhouses and facing constant threats of disease.
Urbanization
The process of population shift from rural areas to cities, leading to the rapid growth and development of urban centers, driven by industrial job opportunities.
Example:
The mass migration of people from the countryside to cities like London and Manchester for factory work exemplifies rapid urbanization.
Working Class
The social class comprising those who perform manual labor or industrial work for wages, often characterized by long hours, low pay, and poor conditions during the Industrial Revolution.
Example:
The working class in Manchester lived in crowded slums and toiled in dangerous factories, struggling daily to earn enough for food and rent.