Industrial Revolution Studies

Child Labour in the 19th Century
Includes biographies of reformers and key individuals in the British factory system, details of factory conditions and first person accounts, the text of relevant parliamentary factory acts, and statistics from the era. (Spartacus Schoolnet, Brighton, United Kingdom)

The Life of the Industrial Worker in Nineteenth-Century England
Provides primary source documents on life in the Industrial Revolution including the Sadler Report, Ashley's Mine's Commission testimony, and Chadwick's Report on Sanitary Conditions. (Brown University, Providence, RI)

Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Industrial Revolution
Provides an extensive list of links to primary source documents on the Agricultural Revolution, Textiles, Railroads, The Lives of Workers, Social Reformism and The Process of Industrialization. (Paul Halsall, Fordham University, New York, NY)

The Science Museum: Making of the Modern World Exhibit
Using key objects from Britain's national collection, the gallery is dedicated to a cultural history of industrialization and chronicles the roles science, technology and industry have played in creating contemporary culture. (National Museum of Science and History, London, United Kingdom)

Steam Engine Library
Features electronic texts of books including Capital and Steam Power, by John Lord; biographies of James Watt, Robert Fulton, George and Robert Stephenson, and John Fitch; and histories of many key inventions of the Industrial Revolution. (University of Rochester, Rochester, NY)

The Industrial Revolution
Provides the lecture notes from Professor Gerhard Rempel at Western New England College covering the topics of agriculture, technology, the steam engine, transportation, electric power, railroads, steam ships, communication and changing social patterns. (Western New England College, Springfield, MA)

Smithsonian: American Inventors and Inventions
Highlights the American inventions of the Industrial Revolution including the box telephone, George Washington Carver's many inventions, the telegraph, the telegraph key, the sewing machine, and more. (Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC)

Victorian England

The Victorian Web
Provides an amazingly comprehensive resource on various aspects of the Victorian Era including Victorianism, Social Context, Economics, Philosophy, Political Context, Visual Arts, Literature, Science, and Technology. (Brown University, Providence, RI)

Learning Curve: 1750-1900
Select 1750-1900 for a series of lessons based on primary sources. The lessons include background information and extension questions exploring legislation associated with the industrial revolution and life in Victorian England. (The National Archives, Surrey, United Kingdom)

A Web of English History
Offers a personal web site devoted to British history in the era of Sir Robert Peel (1830-1850). It provides essays on political movements, economic issues, and Irish affairs and is being extended to include the years 1760-1830. (Marjie Bloy, Rotherham, Untied Kingdom)

The Avalon Project: 19th Century Documents
Features 19th-century documents including various agreements between Britain and the United States, Thomas Malthus' explanation of Britain's Corn Laws, and his essay on "The Nature and Progress of Rent." The essays and documents include explanatory notes. (Yale University Law School, New Haven, CT)

Views of the Famine
Provides news articles written on the Irish Famine from various periodicals in Victorian England including: The Illustrated London Times, Cork Examiner and Punch. A master picture list and a list of related web sites are also included. (Steve Taylor/ Vasssar College, Poughkeepsie, NY)

Gateway Sites

Art History Resources on the Web: 19th Century Art
Provides extensive links to Realism, Romanticism, and all the art of the 19th century. (Sweet Briar College, Sweet Briar, VA)

The Industrial Revolution
Links to sites featuring primary source documents, maps on the industrial trends in England and Europe, and information on the various stages of the revolution. (Susan Pojer, Horace Greeley High School, Chappaqua, NY)