The Social Impact of the Industrial Revolution

The industrial revolution brought about a rapid shift in the nations' populations in which it took place. Populations, in general, grew rapidly, but the cities grew even faster. In 1800 Great Britain had one major city London with a population of 1 million. Fifty years later, London's population had grown to 2,363,000; there were also nine cities with a population over 100,000. Two new social classes developed as a result of the industrial revolution. The new industrial middle class helped build the factories. The most significant new class, however, was the industrial working class. These workers had to work 12 to 16 hours a day, 6-day a week in terrible conditions. Childhood labor was widespread. Women were also used widely in factories, often representing over half the workers in many factories.