Overview Course No. 8950

From electric lights to automobiles, we owe much of our world to the Industrial Revolution. Partnering with the Smithsonian, this course examines the extraordinary events of this period and their far-reaching impact. Over 36 lectures, Professor Patrick Allitt introduces you to the people responsible for transforming every aspect of our lives and fueling a period of unparalleled innovation. Explore the science behind inventions like the spinning jenny and the computer processor, and learn how industrialization shaped society, politics, and the environment.

Video Lectures

01: Industrialization Is Good for You

Explore why, despite its drawbacks, we should be grateful for the Industrial Revolution.

• Duration: 32 min

02: Why Was Britain First?

Discover why Britain was the cradle of the Industrial Revolution, from political stability to innovative thinkers.

• Duration: 28 min

03: The Agricultural Revolution

See how new agricultural methods in 18th-century Britain freed workers for manufacturing.

• Duration: 32 min

04: Cities and Manufacturing Traditions

Travel through Britain to understand the rise of industry and its challenges.

• Duration: 32 min

05: The Royal Shipyards

Learn about the large-scale organization of 18th-century shipyards as a precursor to industrialization.

• Duration: 31 min

06: The Textile Industry

Examine the textile industry’s role in industrialization with innovations like the flying shuttle.

• Duration: 30 min

07: Coal Mining-Powering the Revolution

Discover the transformation of coal mining into a major industry and its challenges.

• Duration: 31 min

08: Iron-Coking and Puddling

Explore the significance of iron and meet the innovators who improved its production.

• Duration: 27 min

09: Wedgwood and the Pottery Business

Meet Josiah Wedgwood and learn how he revolutionized the pottery industry.

• Duration: 32 min

10: Building Britain’s Canals

Understand the role of canals in enhancing transportation and internal communications.

• Duration: 32 min

11: Steam Technology and the First Railways

Explore the invention and impact of the steam engine on the British economy.

• Duration: 30 min

12: The Railway Revolution

See how railroads transformed Britain, boosting communication and employment.

• Duration: 32 min

13: Isambard Kingdom Brunel-Master Engineer

Discover Brunel’s contributions to railways and shipbuilding innovation.

• Duration: 31 min

14: The Machine-Tool Makers

Learn about the creation and standardization of industrial tools.

• Duration: 31 min

15: The Worker’s-Eye View

Examine the human impact of industrialization and the moral objections it raised.

• Duration: 32 min

16: Poets, Novelists, and Factories

Explore 19th-century British literature’s perspective on industrialization.

• Duration: 32 min

17: How Industry Changed Politics

Delve into the political influence of industrialists and debates over free trade.

• Duration: 32 min

18: Dismal Science-The Economists

Study the economic theories of figures like Adam Smith and their relation to industrialization.

• Duration: 32 min

19: American Pioneers-Whitney and Lowell

Shift focus to U.S. innovators in the textile industry like Eli Whitney.

• Duration: 31 min

20: Steamboats and Factories in America

Continue studying American industrialization, including major inventions and infrastructure.

• Duration: 32 min

21: Why Europe Started Late

Reflect on why Europe lagged and how nations like Germany caught up.

• Duration: 29 min

22: Bismarck, De Lesseps, and Eiffel

Explore rapid industrialization in Germany and innovations in France.

• Duration: 31 min

23: John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil

Learn about Rockefeller’s rise in the oil industry and its regulatory implications.

• Duration: 28 min

24: Andrew Carnegie and American Steel

Meet Carnegie and see how he shaped the American steel industry.

• Duration: 30 min

25: American Industrial Labor

Examine the labor movement’s response to industrialization in the U.S.

• Duration: 29 min

26: Anglo-American Contrasts

Compare industrial attitudes between Britain and the U.S. and their economic impacts.

• Duration: 31 min

27: Electric Shocks and Surprises

Review the development of electrical technology and its key figures.

• Duration: 31 min

28: Mass-Producing Bicycles and Cars

Understand the role of mass production in transforming transportation.

• Duration: 30 min

29: Taking Flight-The Dream Becomes Reality

Trace the birth of aviation and its pioneers, including the Wright brothers.

• Duration: 29 min

30: Industrial Warfare, 1914-1918

Explore the industrial contributions to warfare and their global impact.

• Duration: 32 min

31: Expansion and the Great Depression

Investigate the interwar years and why Marxist revolutions didn’t occur.

• Duration: 30 min

32: Mass Production Wins World War II

Reflect on industry’s role during WWII and the Allied victory.

• Duration: 30 min

33: The Information Revolution

Examine the history and impact of computers and the information age.

• Duration: 29 min

34: Asian Tigers-The New Industrialized Nations

Follow the industrial growth of Japan, China, and India since WWII.

• Duration: 27 min

35: Environmental Paradoxes

Discuss industrialization’s environmental threats and potential solutions.

• Duration: 32 min

36: The Benign Transformation

Conclude with reflections on the future of industrial and technological advances.

• Duration: 32 min