Did Life Improve During the Industrial Revolution?

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Did Life Improve During the Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution was a series of changes in the 18th and 19th century that affected the way that most people lived in Britain. Some of these changes could be seen as positive, such as the building of a railway network which improved transport significantly, but some of these changes could be seen as negative, such as the building of factories which increased the amount of pollution in large cities. There were many medical advances during the Industrial Revolution. For example, in 1796, Edward Jenner developed the first vaccine for smallpox. This was significant because smallpox had a mortality rate of up to 35% so this vaccination would have saved a lot of lives and it would have made life considerably better for those who could afford to be vaccinated. However, it wouldn't have made much difference to the poor, who didn’t have enough money to pay for the vaccine, until it was made mandatory in 1853, towards the end of the Industrial Revolution. Education also improved during the Industrial Revolution. For example, before the Industrial Revolution, only the very rich children went to school and most children worked at home. But by 1900, school was compulsory and free for all children between the ages of 5 and 12. This was significant because it meant children could get a proper education but it would have also greatly improved the life of the poor children because it meant they wouldn’t have to work in factories, which usually had terrible conditions. Transport also improved during the Industrial Revolution. The construction of major railways began in 1830 and the network continued to expand throughout the Industrial Revolution. Britain was covered in a railway network by the end of the Industrial Revolution. This was significant because it allowed goods and people to be transported quickly and easily,
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