Before Britain industrialized, there were plenty of wars happening during that time. So, they didn’t really have enough time to, you know, revolutionize technology. Usually, it was a slow process of changing and upgrading technology. During times of fewer wars, you could say Britain decided to upgrade their technology and become more factory-oriented. Families were large, with 6 to 8 or even 12 children, because many kids wouldn’t survive past the age of 10.
The Industrial Revolution happened when Britain’s technology was becoming more advanced, with more machinery and factories. But there were a lot of bad things during this time, especially regarding the quality of life. Kids would work around 11 to 15 hours a day, and they were forced to sign contracts where they basically got paid nothing. Kids often worked in cotton mills, making things until they were 21. So, even though technology was improving, the livelihood of a child during that time was harsh, and most people didn’t live past the age of 30.
Most of the children working in the factories had no families at all. They were forced to sign contracts to work until they were 21, and many were sent to coal mines, which were extremely toxic environments. Many died before they could ever finish their terms.
In the factories, children would often get seriously injured. Their fingers would be ripped off by the gears of the machines, or sometimes the machines would pull their entire body in, killing them instantly. This time period was also incredibly smelly. In fact, in areas like where the Queen lived, people had to move because the city was so dirty and full of human waste. The streets of Britain were disgusting, and if you were poor, you might have to eat trash or even horse manure just to survive. It was crazy.
Pollution was a big problem, too. During the day, the air was so full of soot that it was almost dark. It created a black atmosphere around Britain, and people would often be confused about whether it was day or night.
I think the effects of the Industrial Revolution are still present today. For example, in places like China, kids work in terrible factories under poor conditions. It’s really sad to think that child labor still exists in some parts of the world, and I hope that in the future, it won’t.
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