Why Great Britain Led the Industrial Revolution

Natural Resources
1. Coal, iron ore, etc.
Labour
1. Enclosure movement
2. Population continued to grow on the base of the 18th-century population explosion
3. Better forms of transportation (such as the railway) allowed people to migrate to the cities. . . by 1850, one-half of the population of England and Whales and one-quarter of the population of France and Germany had become town-dwellers
Capital
1. The Industrial Revolution carried a domino-like effect. With one advance came another, which led to another in turn.
2. Profit made in early industries (e.g. textile, iron-making, etc.) was reinvested
Markets
1. The end of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars opened the continent up to British products
2. The Latin-American wars of independence opened the markets of Central and South America
3. The United States and Canada demanded British products
4. Through its control of India, Britain commanded the markets of southern Asia
Transportation
1. Canals
2. Railways: 1830's and 1840's were the great ages of railroad construction
Entrepreneurship
1. Strong middle class
2. Adventurous, liberal nobles who were willing to invest in new ventures
Government Support
1. Strong navy to protect merchant ships
2. Commercially-minded Parliament
3. Few laws to limit what entrepreneurs could do

Resource summary

	Created by Clarissa Sastrawidjaya over 11 years ago