How Did The Industrial Revolution Affect The Coal Industry

When asked to think of coal mining, what comes to mind? A mountain with a hole cut into the side of it with a set of railroad tracks disappearing into it? Maybe an old mine car or two full of some rocks or coal, with a pickaxe and shovel leaning against it. A few guys with hard hats covered in a black powder coming walking out of the mine pushing a car or two full of coal. The technology has advanced but the process is basically still the same as well as the outcome. Coal is retrieved from underground and taken to factories to be burnt to create electricity or to fuel the steel mills.

The use of coal which is most common today started in the 700’s CE and it is the use of coal as an energy source. Though not officially used as a heat source until the 1100’s CE, many methods of burning it for protective smoke were used. While the use of coal for heat was cheaper than wood, the side effects of it shortly began to show. As the mass used of coal came to be, the price of it rose sharply as up to ½ of lower class family wages were used only for the minimal amount of coal needed to survive harsh cold months. London also grew dependent on coal and many signs were showing just why this statement was true. The coal smoke smudged the city and thick black clouds could be seen from miles away surrounding London. These plus other negative effects of coal explains how the misuse of coal led to more negative occurrences than positive and beneficial use it gave.

The economy of England during the 18th century was one that needed rebuilding after many years of war with other countries. A breakthrough of new technology and ideas boosted the economy, creating a time known commonly as the Industrial Revolution. Specifically, there was one invention that defined the Industrial Revolution. The steam engine, a device powered by coal used to run machines at an efficient rate, was developed during the Industrial Revolution. The invention of the steam engine had a major effect on the economy of England during the Industrial Revolution through its use in mining, transportation, and factories.

According to the article “Coal: A Human History” during the Industrial Revolution the country of Great Britain was built on exploiting the numerous tasks that could be accomplished with the natural resource coal. As stated in the text “Coal made the iron that built the machines the workers operated.” Britain advanced rapidly with the newfound uses of coal but it would not last. Because there was so much burning of coal from everything such as a stove in a house to the large furnaces in factories the people who lived in these cities breathed in large amounts of coal dust. The coal dust posed a serious health risk to the public. As such the rapid advancement of Britain by use of coal was

The Industrial Revolution in the United States took place during the 18th and 19th centuries. This revolution was one of the most prominent turning points of American history as it modernized the workforce, developed American economics, and impacted the way people lived their lives. Before it began, America was mostly a rural society, people farmer to make a living and all work was done at home (“Industrial Revolution”). Afterwards, individuals began to become depend on factories to produce the products they once hand-made.

Initially, charcoal and wood were used a fuel source, but as those resources became scarce, coal became a necessity. As shown in Document 1, England was fortunate enough to have a readily available coal supply that other countries in Europe were not able to have. As England became industrialized, more coal was needed to fuel steam engines and furnaces. The development of factories and the improvement of the steam engine also increased the demand for coal. As a result, coal mines that were once mined at the surface, now got deeper and deeper, and there was too much water to safely get more coal. When the Newcomen engine was put into use at the coal mines, coal was put into the steam engine to pump more coal out. Similarly almost every other piece of technology in that time period used coal as the main fuel source so the need for coal skyrocketed. Document 4 explains how England had the natural conditions necessary to succeed such as coal, which is a major reason the Industrial Revolution started in England and not in any other

Although the industrial revolution led to more advanced discoveries and inventions, it was more damaging than constructive because factories and coal mines were built that required laborers to work for long hours, in dangerous conditions, and at a young age. 1. People often worked 12-14 hours, but if the factory was busy, they could have to work for up to 18 hours. 2. They were forced to work in the dark because they didn’t have access to candles.

History tells us that prior events, weather big or small, may not have an immediate impact but can cause drastic change in the future. This is true when we look back at the discovery of coal in the United States. On the other hand, the election of our 16th president Abraham Lincoln, had an immediate impact on the development of the western states.

The Industrial Revolution was a period where many major technological advances, such as the steam engine, were made. It began in Britain some time after 1750. The technological advances allowed for much higher rates of production, but had several other effects as well. The Industrial Revolution altered the political situation, social structure, and economic standing of Great Britain. Drastic change in technology during the Industrial Revolution led to several political changes.

A controversial topic commonly debated among society is the construction of coal mines. Although they potentially contain great economic promise and access to more resources, they also harm the surrounding environment and increase carbon dioxide emissions.

Throughout the course of the industrial revolution, there was a major increase in steel and iron production. While this was great for the development of railroads, making goods cheaper in store but, it had some major negative effects on the environment. With the increase of supply and demand increased factories attempted to maximize the output of their factories by keeping them running as long as possible typically implementing a “sun up to sundown” work day. Factories even went has far as hiring children in order to maximize productivity.

As you can see the extraction of coal grew five times in about 60 years. As more technologies were invented, more coal was produced, and so more damage was done to the environment. By 1900, there were about 3,237 coal mines in the United Kingdom. A typical coal power plant generates about 3.5 million tons of Co2 per year. As I said, the excessive combustion of coal releases harmful, polluting gases to the atmosphere along with the depletion of the fossil fuel itself.

With that being said here are some environmental impacts of coal you may not know about. The air pollutants cause acid rain, smog ,respiratory illnesses, cancers and toxins in the environment. Coal miners can get respiratory illnesses from the coal dust while mining. If an abandoned coal mine catches fire it puts tons of mercury into the atmosphere, this happens every year and is responsible for three percent of carbon dioxide emissions globally. The second largest contributor to

Another negative effect of the Industrial Revolution was on the environment. The factories and industry has increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Throughout the century British coal had become increasingly costly and difficult to mine. Nationalization in 1948 had not altered this. Indeed, there was a case for saying that lack of government investment since that date had added to the problem. For some time Britain had been importing coal from abroad. With the exception of few pits producing particular types of coal, British mines by the 1970s were running at loss.