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History & society · British history

Steam, Steel, and Society: Understanding the Industrial Revolution

Explore how the Industrial Revolution transformed Britain from a rural, handcraft economy into the world's first industrial nation. This course examines the key inventions, social upheavals, and cultural shifts that shaped modern life, from factory towns to political reform. No prior knowledge isne,

540 min12 modulesBeginner friendly
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Free to take. This course does not use any Learning Credits.

What you’ll be able to do

By the end of this course, you will be able to identify the major technological, social, and economic changes of the Industrial Revolution, explain their causes and consequences, and critically discuss their lasting impact on contemporary Britain.

Course outline

A clear route from first principles to practical confidence

  1. 01

    Module 1: Britain Before the Revolution

    • Life on the Land: Farming, Villages, and Seasonal Rhythms
    • The Domestic System: Spinning, Weaving, and Cottage Industry
    • Trade and Empire: How Global Commerce Set the Stage
    • Population Growth and Agricultural Improvements
  2. 02

    Module 2: The Age of Invention

    • The Flying Shuttle and Spinning Jenny: Weaving and Spinning Transformed
    • Richard Arkwright and the Water Frame: The First Factories
    • James Watt and the Steam Engine: Powering the Revolution
    • Iron, Coal, and the Rise of Heavy Industry
  3. 03

    Module 3: The Factory System and Working Life

    • From Cottage to Mill: The New Industrial Workplace
    • Child Labour: Exploitation and Reform
    • Women in the Factories: Opportunities and Hardships
    • Discipline, Time, and the Factory Bell
  4. 04

    Module 4: Transport and Communication

    • Canals: The First Transport Revolution
    • George Stephenson and the Railway Boom
    • The Impact of Railways on Towns and Trade
    • Roads, Coaches, and the Royal Mail
  5. 05

    Module 5: Urbanisation and the Industrial City

    • The Rise of Manchester and Birmingham: Shock Cities
    • Slums, Sanitation, and Disease
    • Public Health Pioneers: Chadwick and the Sanitary Movement
    • New Urban Spaces: Parks, Markets, and Town Halls
  6. 06

    Module 6: Social Classes and Everyday Life

    • The Working Class: Wages, Diet, and Leisure
    • The Middle Class: Values, Homes, and Respectability
    • The Aristocracy: Land, Power, and Adaptation
    • Domestic Service: The Largest Employer
  7. 07

    Module 7: Political Change and Reform

    • The Luddites: Machine Breaking and Protest
    • The Peterloo Massacre and the Fight for Representation
    • The Reform Acts: Expanding the Vote
    • Trade Unions and the Rise of Labour Politics
  8. 08

    Module 8: Culture, Religion, and Ideas

    • Romanticism and the Reaction to Industry
    • The Novel and the City: Dickens and Gaskell
    • Religion: Methodism, Evangelicalism, and Social Reform
    • Education and the Spread of Literacy
  9. 09

    Module 9: The Global Reach of the Revolution

    • Exports and Imports: The Global Trade Network
    • Cotton, Slavery, and the American Connection
    • Empire and Industry: India and the Colonies
    • Competition: Industrialisation in Europe and America
  10. 10

    Module 10: The Environment and Health

    • Pollution: Smoke, Soot, and Chemical Waste
    • River Pollution and Waterborne Disease
    • Occupational Health: Accidents and Lung Disease
    • Early Environmental Awareness and Activism
  11. 11

    Module 11: The Legacy of the Industrial Revolution

    • Deindustrialisation: The Decline of Heavy Industry
    • Heritage and Memory: Museums, Mills, and Nostalgia
    • Lessons for Today: Automation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution
    • The Industrial Revolution in Popular Culture
  12. 12

    Module 12: Course Review and Reflection

    • Timeline and Key Turning Points
    • Debates: Was the Revolution a Blessing or a Curse?
    • Your Local Industrial Heritage: A Guided Exploration
    • Final Discussion and Next Steps for Further Study