The Birth of Industrial Britain: Social Change, 1750-1850

The Industrial Revolution is one of the great watersheds in British history.

The Birth of Industrial Britain examines the impact of early industrialisation on British society in the century before 1850. This time period coincides with Britain¿s transition from a late pre-industrial economy to one based on industrialisation and urbanisation.

Written in a clear and accessible manner, the book deals in detail with the following topics:

• work and leisure
• living and health standards
• religion
• education
• the poor laws
• popular protest
• crime, justice and the law

The book emphasises those aspects of British society where significant change occurred for the mass of the population as a result of industrialisation.

Also containing primary documents to support the text, and a Glossary of terms, people and parliamentary acts, this book provides an essential up-to-date synthesis of the impact of the industrial revolution on British society for A-Level and undergraduate students studying the Industrial Revolution. It also serves as a companion volume to another book in the Seminar Studies in History Series: The Birth of Industrial Britain: Economic Change, 1750¿1850.

Kenneth Morgan is Professor of History at Brunel University, London.

The companion volume to The Birth of Industrial Britain: Economic Change, together they provide a comprehensive guide to Britain's development as the first industrial power. This volume focuses on the social impact of early industrializaton on the population and looks at living standards, work and leisure, crime and the law, religion, education, the Poor Law and popular protest. An excellent introduction providing a clear and readable account for students of modern British social and economic history.