Industrial Revolution
Where can I find information about the Industrial Revolution?
(Years 7-10)
Image: The Engine of the Industrial Revolution/Wool Carding Machine in Den Gamle by Gene Selkov on Flickr.
Entry last updated: 26/05/22
Introduction
The Industrial Revolution began in England in the late 18th century. Populations of cities grew rapidly in this cultural shift, which marked the change from mainly agricultural economies to machine-based manufacturing. The most important changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution were the inventions of machines to take the place of human labour, the use of steam and other kinds of power, and the introduction of factories.
General Websites
There are a number of website that have great information about the Industrial Revolution. Here are a few you may find useful.
This is one of the EPIC resources. EPIC is a collection of reliable databases covering lots of different topics. It is put together especially for New Zealand school students and helps to answer questions like this. It is an excellent starting point to find out information about the Industrial Revolution.
Select your learning level - Primary, Middle, or Secondary (You can always change this later).
Enter 'Industrial Revolution' into the search area and select the magnifying glass.
The article called Industrial Revolution has some useful information about the changes that led to the revolution and how they impacted the people.
Tips: To get to the EPIC resources you will need a password from your school librarian first. Or you can chat with one of our AnyQuestions librarians between 1 and 6pm Monday to Friday and they will help you online. Some EPIC databases may also be available through your public library.
This site focuses on English history and literature from medieval times onward. It includes primary sources, digitised texts, and a brief world history timeline with major literary events and people.
Enter 'Industrial Revolution' into the search area and select the magnifying glass.
The Industrial Revolution article by Matthew White explores how the industrial revolution changed life for those living in Britain at the time. It also includes illustrations of early steam engines and 18th Century textile production.
Tips: The British Library is controlled and managed by the British Library Board. This website has a detailed 'about us' page, and each article has information about the person writing it. This is useful as it helps us assess the reliability of the information.
This site has brief entries focusing on UK and US history and society. It also includes excerpts of primary source material in each entry.
Enter 'Industrial Revolution' into the search area.
Select the Industrial Revolution link and choose from the list of topics covered eg Peterloo Massacre.
Tips: Websites that have .com or .co in the address can have good information, but you need to assess how reliable it is. This site does not have an about page but the Author page will tell you about the author of the site.
This website has self guided learning resources for a range of subjects including history.
Enter the keywords 'Industrial Revolution' into the search area and select the magnifying glass.
Select the article called The Industrial Revolution.
Tips: Websites that have .org or .net in the address can have good information, but you need to assess how reliable it is. Check the About us link on the website, if you can find one. That can tell you what the organisation’s mission and values are.
Books
Your local public library or school will have books about the Industrial Revolution. Here are some suggested titles:
What the industrial revolution did for us by Gavin Weightman.
The Industrial Revolution by Nigel Smith.
The industrial revolution by James Wolfe.
SCIS no: 1920549
