Industrial Revolution, Potato Famine, and Parachutes

Did the the 19th century belong to Britain? Were they the leaders in industry and empire? The Britons would say yes! While the U.K. and Northern Ireland are smaller then the state of Michigan, they controlled an empire 40 times the size of their homeland. They were the leaders in economic and military power and influenced the countries around them. Even the Untied States has a cultural heritage that is primarily British.

The Industrial Revolution brought about many changes that we still benefit from today. The development of large machinery, creation of factories, and advances in transportation still affect the world today. Life became easier in some ways with these new inventions, but there were disadvantages too. The factories produced thick, foul smoke that littered the air and sickened the people. People suffered grotesque injuries from factory equipment with no medical help available and worked long hours for little pay. Sometimes progress hurts, right?

During the early 1800s, the Irish Catholics wanted to separate from Britain. They struggled to gain support for their cause. Not everyone was happy being a British citizen. Then a terrible thing happened: the potato famine. This famine led to the deaths of around one million people from starvation. Who would help them? Um....no one! The British government kept silent during this time as people perished. Eventually about two million Irish left for the Untied States with dreams of a new start.

A benefit from the 19th century was transportation. We all love to be transported, right? While walking is certainly more beneficial to our health, it does not get us places very fast. We like to get places, so having more options for doing so was a game changer. You could take a train, bike, car, submarine, balloon, or even a parachute! I think I would stick to the first three options. As much as those last three sound fun, I think I would pass. Plunging to the ground with a "sheet" sounds a little too crazy for me:) It was quite fun to test out today though.

This week we are moving on from the British and learning about Karl Marx, Charles Darwin, and the education system. Things are going to get interesting! We will be talking about fossils next week too, so if you have any, please bring them.

Homework:
1. Read Unit 23
2. Write 2 paragraphs about Darwin's Theory of Evolution and your opinions on it, or write how you would explain the origin of the world, or create a comic strip about the past or current education system. It can be comical as long as it is appropriate. It must include the way the system works and the pros and cons.