SS9 – Crossroads - IR2 – An Economic Revolution

An Economic Revolution

England during the 17th C. had a pro-business gov’t that believed in a “laissez faire” policy towards its growing economy.

Laissez faire policies kept the gov’t out of business practices and allowed them a free hand to do what they wanted.

New technologies such as the “spinning jenny” and the “flying shuttle” helped fuel the growing British textile industry.

Britain took advantage of its colonial countries to help supply it with the necessary raw materials for British industries.

The textile industry grew so large that it soon needed other sources of power which resulted in inventions such as the steam engine.

Britain’s textile, coal and cast iron industries made it the world’s leading economic power. SS9 – Crossroads - IR2 – An Economic Revolution

Industrial Revolution – Why Britain?

Directions: Read pages 134-139 in your text Crossroads – A Meeting of Nations.

1. On a separate piece of paper, provide definitions for the following terms;

entrepreneur franchise laissez-faire synthetic spinning jenny textiles

2. On a separate piece of paper, answer the following questions using COMPLETE SENTENCES;

a) In your own words, explain the reasoning behind the British government’s “laissez-faire” economic policy. (2 mks for quality of thought)

b) Describe 2 ways in which Britain’s geography and climate helped catapult it into a world economic power. ( 2 mks for quality of thought and details)

c) In your own words, describe an Industrial Revolution invention (and its inventor). (2 mks for your description and details)

d) In your own words, describe how an invention that was used to pump water, was modified to provide the much needed power to Britain’s textile industry. ( 2 mks for quality of thought and details)

3. In the space provided on the back, create a grave stone complete with an epitaph detailing the cause of death and circumstances surrounding the death of a young Welsh coal miner during the 17th Century.

You will be marked out of 5 for the quality of thought and details included in your epitaph, and out of 3 for your drawing, for a total of 8 marks.

Total: ___/ 22 3. In the space provided below, create a grave stone complete with an epitaph detailing the cause of death and circumstances surrounding the death of a young Welsh coal miner during the 17th Century.

You will be marked out of 5 for the quality of thought and details included in your epitaph, and out of 3 for your drawing, for a total of 8 marks.