How Railways Powered the Industrial Revolution
In How Railways Powered the Industrial Revolution, host Andrew Marr describes how when the first locomotive went for a test run it drove for 26 miles. But by the end of the Industrial Revolution, locomotion and trains had reshaped transportation, industry, and the world. This video is excerpted from BBC’s A History of the World, a story of human history that uses reenactments, modern footage, and storytelling to explain history’s greatest achievements.
Lesson Express
Q: How did railways impact the Industrial Revolution?
A: They provided a fast, reliable, and cost-effective means of transporting goods, raw materials, and people over long distances, which was crucial for industrial growth. Railways enabled factories to receive raw materials quickly and to ship finished goods to markets far away, increasing production and trade efficiency.
Q: How did the Industrial Revolution change where people lived?
A: People moved from the country to the city, both in England and across the world.
Q: Would you have gone on the first locomotive ride? Why or why not? What were the risks?
A: Student responses will vary.