By 1820, England's economy relied largely on manufacturers, thus becoming the first industrialized nation. The British advances were soon replicated in continental Europe, and the Industrial Revolution gradually spread to other nations. Let's look at this spread one region or country at a time with some greater detail. 1. Europe
With industrialization, the living standards of the ordinary people improved for the first time, and it was possible for them to buy some of the goods that they helped create. The agricultural advances helped to grow more food and the farms were able to supply the cities. Eventually, more technological advances were developed to produce even more.
With industrialization, a process of colonization started in Africa in the 19th century. Simultaneously, some European powers expanded their colonies in Asia. In Europe, Russia and Austria expanded their domains. The United States also acquired some overseas territories. Let's take a couple of moments to review what we've learned.
The majority of people started to benefit from better nutrition, healthier living conditions, and access to cleaner water. All these conditions brought a dramatic increase of the population, which nearly doubled during the Industrial Revolution. Many moved closer to the new industrial centers, making cities grow quickly.
In the 1820s, Belgium was the first country to incorporate mechanized processes and industrialize. In the 1840s, Germany and Austria were also experiencing industrial growth. By the end of the 19th century, many European nations had become industrialized.
While the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan are the countries most often cited when discussing the impact of industrial revolutions, the truth is that many more economies have gone through the same process. For instance, Germany entered an industrialization phase in the early 20th century that was somewhat in the shadow of the United Kingdom's dominance. Nowadays, many economists are observing China as it has begun its own industrial revolution in the past 15-20 years. Some experts have even claimed that China will surpass the United States at the end of its industrialization in terms of Gross Domestic Product. It is therefore of interest to study this industrial transformation phase in China as it unfolds in our current world.
The agricultural advances helped to grow more food and the farms were able to supply the cities. Eventually, more technological advances were developed to produce even more. The distribution channels also improved significantly.
It's considered one of the biggest events in the history of humankind because it transformed almost every aspect of daily life.
The textiles industry gradually developed in New England, and by the turn of the 20th century, many industrial innovations and new affordable techniques for producing steel put the United States in the fast lane towards industrialization.