Reference no: EM133618452

Question

Beginning in England and spreading westward throughout Europe, the Industrial Revolution brought rural workers to urban factories. The rural poor struggled to keep up with the production of factories, many choosing to move to cities to work in the factories. The urban poor struggled with the unclean and crowded housing conditions. As populations in cities grew, so did disease. Despite an increase in disease, industrial improvements led to an increase in agricultural production, cleaner water, and advancements in the medical field increasing life expectancy. The Industrial Revolution also brought innovations in transportation including trains and steamboats, starting in England, reducing shipping costs which increased consumption and production. "During the first half of the nineteenth century, the Industrial Revolution affected Western Europe more than the countries in South or East Europe" (Merriman 2019). England was well equipped to handle the rapid urbanization of the Industrial Revolution due to its deposits of coal and iron ore, many of which were located near water for ease of transportation to factories.