Analysis and Evidence: Sample Essay
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT1750/ LESSON 4.1ACTIVITYANALYSIS AND EVIDENCE: SAMPLE ESSAYUnless otherwise noted, this work is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Credit: “Analysis and Evidence: Sample Essay”, OER Project, https://www.oerproject.com/1Industrialization in Britain and India Sample EssayPrompt:How did the industrial revolution impact both Britain and India similarly and differently between 1750 and 1914?From the eighteenth century to the twentieth century industrialization impacted Britain and India. Although Britain and India were affected by industrialization very differently, both involved the mistreatment of industrial workers and Indians in order to make the British the best. This difference can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution and extended throughout the long 19th century from 1750 to 1914.India and Britain had differences with manufacturing and wealth during the long 19th century. The table shows the difference between India and Britain’s manufacturing (Doc 1). When Britain had their best manufacturing power, India was nowhere near close tobeing even half as powerful as Britain. Even when Britain’s manufacturing dropped, India’s did too, keeping it below Britain’s. When Britain suffered India did as well and often had more struggles associated with declines. Naoroji stated India’s economic and political issues that came with being used by the British (Doc 2). Because of British rule, India had debts, political problems, and famines while India benefited Britain. Britain was thriving as a powerful empire while Indians were struggling. Gandhi is seen advocating for Indians to produce their own textiles in the mid-twentieth century (Doc 6). This display is important as it shows the reliance that the Indian people had on British products during the long 19th century. This stemmed from the Britishsending exports into India and Indians could not produce their textiles at the same price during this time so that the British would get more money from selling their products in their colonies.During the long 19th century both Britain and India had poor housing and working conditions for their lower to working class citizens. Andrew Ure stated that manufacturers should want to make labor as unskilled as possible (Doc 5). Manufacturers wanted to reduce the need for skilled labor in order to reduce their costs. They made this happen through using child labor and women as they were able to pay children and women less than men. Betty Harris, in the coal mines of England, told her story of conditions in the coal mines (Doc 4). As told by this account, working in coal mines was dangerous for low wages. These places made money by abusing their workers. These bad conditions went past the mines as told through the abuse Harris faced from her husband and ofthe story of the other woman who had a child and went to work in days. Romesh Dutt tells the bad stories of Indian cultivators as famine made their lives hard (Doc 7). The abuse of the land in India and droughts resulted in the farmers suffering as they could not grow enough crops to support themselves, especially
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT 1750 / LESSON 4.1ACTIVITYANALYSIS AND EVIDENCE: SAMPLE ESSAY2since they had to grow cash crops to supplyBritish landlords. The conditions of the working class in India and Britain were similar in that the government often did not step in to give aid.The workers in Britain had dangerous conditions and many died and laws and regulations to help only came late. The farmers in India had to deal with famine and droughts with no aid from the British government even as their work was making Britain rich.In the end, while Britain and India had different levels of production and wealth in the long 19th century, they had the same abuse of their workers in search of money. By abusing India and the lower classes Britain was able to have mass amounts of wealth and power, while keeping India behind in everything. This kind of exploitation has happened during history and still happens.