Activities
Before viewing
Place the period in context and link it to times previously studied.
Discuss the concept of the Industrial Revolution and talk about some of the elements involved, including:
- Improved transport through the building of canals and railways
- The growth of mills and factories
- The development of industrial towns
Viewing activity
Watch out for and note down:
- Ways in which the Industrial Revolution affected everyday life for good or ill
- Some of the differences in attitude between employers of the time
- The advantages of new kinds of transport
Keywords
industry, industrial, transport, manufacturing, infant mortality, canal, lock, aqueduct, colliery
After viewing
Re-cap and consolidation:
- How many different kinds of transport did students spot during the programme? Why were changes in transport so important?
- How did the landscape change because of the Industrial Revolution?
- In which ways did life become worse because of the Industrial Revolution? In which ways did it become better?
- How did some employers try to help their workers?
Follow-up work
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Causation: The Industrial Revolution
These changes occurred during the Industrial Revolution. Draw an arrow to join up ones that are connected and explain how they are linked together. One has been done for you.
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Organisation and communication: Changes, changes
Print this page out on card and use the headings for a card sort. Place the cards in two categories: ‘Good effects of the Industrial Revolution’ and ‘Bad effects of the Industrial Revolution’. Then use the pupil sheet below to plan a piece of written argument about the impact of change.
Trains made travel easier.
People who worked at home lost their jobs.
Children began to work in factories.
Factories made things quickly and cheaply.
There was plenty of work for everyone.
Some mill owners built model villages for their workers.
Canals made it easier to transport goods.
Factories made the towns crowded and polluted.
The Industrial Revolution led to lots of new inventions.
Living conditions in towns got worse.
The new machinery was dangerous.
| I believe that the Industrial Revolution made life ................ for most people because…
First piece of evidence
Explain why it backs up your idea
Second piece of evidence
Explain why it backs up your idea
Third piece of evidence
Explain why it backs up your idea |
Key events: The building of Ironbridge (Internet activity)
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http://www.vtel.co.uk/shropshire/v-tours/ironbridge
- Use the virtual tour to visit the Ironbridge site and print out relevant information about the bridge itself.
- Look for more information on a CD-ROM, such as Encarta. Print it out and highlight relevant passages.
- Select and combine information from both sources to produce a structured piece of writing about the bridge and its importance in the history of the Industrial Revolution.
You should include the following information:
- Who built it
- When it was built
- How it is different from the bridges that went before it
- How improved methods of producing iron and steel contributed to the Industrial Revolution
Historical enquiry: Local investigation
A unit of work on the Industrial Revolution provides a good opportunity to study an aspect of the past in depth, through a local context. Useful resources include:
- An up-to-date Ordnance survey map of the locality
Large-scale (25 inch:1 mile) Ordnance Survey maps of towns and cities were produced from 1855 onwards. They are available from large reference libraries or your local studies’ collection. Use them to find out what kind of businesses were located close to the canal. In the nineteenth century, coal merchants, brickyards and other trades dealing in heavy, bulky materials were often clustered round the canal for ease of transport.
- Postcards, town trails and information leaflets from the local museum or tourist information centre
- Photographs of features dating from the Industrial Revolution
Starting-point:
Look at the Ordnance Survey map for your local area. Where is the nearest canal? Where does it come from and to where does it go? Follow it, changing maps if necessary. Look at a street plan of your nearest town or large settlement. Look for the canal and for associated names, such as Canal Road, Wharf or the Barge Inn.
