Part 3: Industrial Life and Reactions to Industrialization

Estimated time to complete: 3 hours

These documents take a deep dive and explore how thinkers, social activists, and governmental groups reacted to the changes caused by rapid, unregulated industrialization and urbanization in Great Britain and Europe from 1800-1848. The early industrial factory system was entirely unregulated and relied heavily on child labor and long working hours for adults. The growth and normalization of industrial production also led to the growth in size and density of cities in Europe. The changes caused by the growth in the size and density of cities led to significant problems for working people, who often struggled in those environments due to a lack of adequate housing, medical provisions, or clean water. Pollution in industrial cities posed significant health risks, as did the increased density of human occupation, which led to spikes in disease. After decades of significant issues and numerous studies, governments in industrializing states began to explore ways to regulate the experience of industrialization, including restricting child labor, limiting working hours, and, in some cases, providing aid for those struggling in the new economy. These documents show both the growing awareness of how these changes were affecting workers, but also how workers themselves were beginning to assert themselves through a new "working-class" identity. As you complete the reading, please consider the following questions:

What does the testimony to the Sadler commission reveal about the conditions of industrial labor?
How did it feel to work in a factory during this period?
What challenges did working people face in industrial cities like Manchester?
How did working people respond to the pressures caused by rapid industrialization?