The Industrial Revolution & Public Health (AQA GCSE History)

How did the Industrial Revolution impact public health? - Summary

The Industrial Revolution had a huge impact on public health in Britain. As factories and industries grew, thousands of people moved from the countryside to towns and cities in search of jobs. This caused overcrowding. Houses were built quickly and cheaply to accommodate the workers. Many homes were poorly constructed, with no proper ventilation, running water, or sewage systems. Streets were often filled with rubbish and human waste, which spread diseases like cholera and typhoid. People lived in cramped, unsanitary conditions, which made it easy for illnesses to spread quickly.

Local authorities and the government did very little to improve these conditions during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution. They followed a laissez-faire attitude, believing it was not their responsibility to interfere in people’s lives. As a result, public health worsened, and death rates were high, especially among the poor. The Industrial Revolution highlighted how unprepared towns were for the rapid growth in population and the challenges of urban life.

What was the Industrial Revolution?

• The Industrial Revolution was when the economy changed from an agricultural to an industrial one

• During the 18th and 19th centuries, many countries industrialised

  • Countries switched their focus from agriculture to manufacturing goods in factories

    • Industrial economies seemed to be more reliable and less dependent on external factors, such as weather

  • People moved from the countryside to towns to work in factories

• From around 1750 onwards, cities and towns such as Birmingham, Manchester and Sheffield grew rapidly

The impact of the Industrial Revolution on public health

• The living conditions in the new industrial towns and cities were appalling

Conditions in industrial towns and cities

IMAGE

A diagram showing an illustration of conditions in a typical, British industrial city

Impact on public health

• People in industrial towns and cities dealt with:

  • poor sanitation

  • air pollution

  • unsafe living and working conditions

• The majority of the people still believed that miasma caused disease

  • They focused on covering bad smells rather than hygiene

• Campaigners began to suspect that there was a link between conditions in industrial towns and health

  • In 1841, the average life expectancy was around 40 years