DBQ – “Why did the Industrial Revolution begin in England?”

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DBQ – “Why did the Industrial Revolution begin in England?”
In a geographical perspective, Britain is an expansive island, and this helped them to evade war invasion (Global History, 5). Therefore, it facilitated peace that was needed for industrial growth. Additionally, there was the availability of raw materials such as iron, wool, coal, lead and tin that are very paramount in the industrialization development (Smith, 24). The Canals linked the rivers to the ocean coast so that the transportation of items could be effective. Consequently, the industrialization facilitated the rural to urban migration (Warner, 79). Therefore, these movements ensured availability of human capital who could work in various industries. People also migrated from the countryside because they hoped for high wages from the industries in urban areas (Warner, 81).
According to Smith, the concept of specialization of labor made many industries to increase their respective production capabilities (Smith, 67). In specialization concept, each staff performed various specific jobs that they were done perfectly. This ensured mass production unlike in other systems where employees worked separately, but production was slow and low quality (Smith, 74). Contrarily, Britain was equipped with conditions and resources that were required for the industrialization process. For example, it had resources such as iron, lead, coal, and sheep that provided them with quality wool.

The geographical location also offered them rivers, harbors, and seaports that made the transport of products to be fast and convenient.
Besides, the systematic and technical innovation assisted the industrialization process in England. For example, the discovery of division of labor was very resourceful in mass production (Ashton, 23). Additionally, certain technical invention made work to easy. Alternatively, various technical inventions facilitated mass production in the textile companies. For instance, the flying shuttle encouraged the speed of weaving process (Ashton, 52). Secondly, the spinning jenny facilitated the spinners to be at the same level with newly adopted weaving devices. Thirdly, the power loom immediately wove threads into cloth at high speed (Ashton, 67). Lastly, water frame run spinning wheels that were operational using water power unlike before where hands were used became less labor intensity.
Simultaneously, inventions like the reaper and drill encouraged mass production of food while in same time reduced the number of farmers who could work to produce the same amount of food (Global History, 5). Furthermore, many farm works shifted to work for factory jobs. The stock breeding also encouraged more food produced and facilitated additional wool for the textile companies (Young, 56). More ever, changes like enclosure established the growth of large-scale farmers and in the time this displaced small farmers who had to join the factories has employees. Large farms encouraged crop rotation that led to the production of crops that had nutrients. This made farming to grow from self-sufficiency to sustainable large-scale production that could feed the entire factory workers population for a long time (Young, 59).
In conclusion, According to Knowles, Britain business system had not internal tolls, tariffs and charges that hindered trade (Knowles, 102). Hence, the political and economic concept in Britain offered the freedom that allowed the expansion of industries to occur in the entire land. Therefore, the industrial revolution was successful in England because of many factors such availability resource, more employees, geographical position, invention, and strategic political ideology that favored trade.
Work Cited
Ashton S. Thomas. The Industrial Revolution. Oxford University Press, 1962. Print
Global History.DBQ: The Industrial Revolution: Beginnings. Walch Publishing, 2007. Print
Knowles L.C.A. The Industrial and Commercial Revolutions in Great Britain During the nineteenth Century. E.P Dutton and Co., 1921.Print
Warner George. Landmarks in English Industrial History. Blackie and Son, 1899.
Smith Adam, wealth of Nation, 1776. Print
Young Arthur. A Farmer`s Tour Through the East of England. 1771. Print