History
What is The Industrial Revolution?
The Industrial Revolution (roughly 1760–1840) was the shift from hand production to machines, factories, and steam power that began in Britain and transformed economies and daily life — moving people from farms to cities and launching the modern industrial world.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains the industrial revolution.
Key things to understand
- 1Steam power and machinery replaced manual and animal labor.
- 2Textile manufacturing and the factory system led the change.
- 3People migrated from rural areas to fast-growing industrial cities.
- 4It raised output and living standards over time, but brought harsh early factory conditions.
Frequently asked questions
- When was the Industrial Revolution?
- It began in Britain around 1760 and spread through the 1800s across Europe and North America.
- What caused the Industrial Revolution?
- A combination of new technology (the steam engine), available capital and labor, raw materials like coal, and growing demand.
- Why did it start in Britain?
- Britain had coal, capital, access to markets, and relative political stability that favored innovation and trade.