The Industrial Revolution was a period of great change. new industries developed rapidly as a result of a number of new inventions and the way in which things were produced, and the way in which people lived and worked, changed rapidly as a result of these developments. 

It is hard to say exactly when the Industrial revolution started or when it finished. Many factors influenced the changes that happened which makes studying the Industrial Revolution a little more complex than some other areas of History.

This unit looks briefly at a number of the factors that caused industrialisation, it examines the impact of the new industries and offers descriptions of some of the major inventions of the era. Links to more detailed pages and useful activities are provided where they are felt necessary.

Teachers resources will be added to this unit at a later date. Please feel free to contribute your own worksheets, ideas or content to make this site more useful to teachers and students. 

This unit is closely related to our section on political protests and reforms of the 18th and 19th Centuries.

Unit contents