Industrial Revolutions: A Comparison of the First and Second

First industrial revolution

• Start date: Around 1760
• Breakthrough: Steam engine
• Countries: Great Britain
• Causes: Demographic, agricultural revolution
• Main industry: Textile, iron
• Energy sources: Coal
• Transportation: Steamboat, Railway
• System of production: Division of labour
• Finances: Money saved from profits in the agricultural industry
• Workers rights: Unorganized workers with weak negotiating positions, exploited
• Result: Migration from the country to the city, cities developed, population growth

Second industrial revolution

• Start date: Around 1870
• Breakthrough: Fuel
• Countries: USA, Germany
• Causes: Imperialism (discovered new markets)
• Main industry: Iron, chemical, electrical
• Energy sources: Electricity, petrol
• Transportation: Aeroplane, ship
• System of production: Taylorism, assembly line, mass production
• Finances: Large companies, banks, financial capitalism
• Workers rights: Organized workers, trade unions, threatened strikers to get a stronger negotiated position
• Result: Continued migration: transoceanic and continental, cities expanded, increased population growth