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Year 8 · History · Industry, empire and slavery · Lesson 1

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution in Britain: why it began here, steam power, factories, working conditions, urbanisation and the 1833 Factory Act.

Whiteboard video lesson: The Industrial Revolution

19-minute video lesson

Teaching, worked examples and 20 practice questions solved step by step.

Watch free for a month

What your child will learn

  • Define the Industrial Revolution
  • Explain why it began in Britain
  • Explain the importance of steam
  • Describe working and living conditions
  • Judge its impact on ordinary people

The method

  1. Benefits.
  2. Costs.
  3. Short vs long term.
  4. Judgement.

Key words: Industrial Revolution, factory, steam engine, textiles, urbanisation, child labour, Factory Act.

Worked examples

The first three practice questions from the lesson, with every step.

Question 1

Roughly when did the Industrial Revolution begin?

  1. Step 1: Mid-1700s

Answer: About 1750

Question 2

Where did the Industrial Revolution begin?

  1. Step 1: An island country

Answer: Britain

Question 3

Which industry was first to use factories on a large scale?

  1. Step 1: Making cloth

Answer: Textiles (cotton)