Economic Systems and the Working Class
Driving Question: How did workers respond to the changes of industrialization?
As industrialization spread, it transformed societies. Industrial capitalism enriched some, but many others struggled in the face of industrial changes. A new urban working class—people paid an hourly wage in exchange for their labor—emerged. Living and working conditions were often miserable. As a result, new economic ideologies, like socialism, emerged to challenge capitalism. In many places, the working class united to demand better pay and working conditions.
Learning Objectives:
- Compare and contrast the economic systems of capitalism and socialism.
- Evaluate how different groups responded to increasing industrialization from c. 1750 to 1900 CE.
- Use a graphic biography to support, extend, or challenge the overarching narratives of this period.
Vocab Terms:
Want to connect with other World History teachers? Join the OER Project Community Forum.
The Industrial Revolution upended the organization of human communities, but some things remained consistent. Compare the social pyramids of medieval and industrial society to see what changed.
Pyramids of Capitalism
The Assembly Line Simulation is a great hands-on activity. Be sure to read the instructions ahead of time in the Lesson Guide. You’ll need multicolored paper, markers, scissors, and tape. Be sure to print off the Factory Team worksheets and, if you’re going to use them, the optional individual worksheets ahead of time.
This simulation is the sort of activity that students remember because it’s very hands-on. In your debrief, ask students why workers accepted these sorts of conditions and demands. It’s a great way to embed long-term learning.
When there’s a huge difference between the “haves” and the “have-nots,” there are bound to be problems. In this activity and article, you’ll examine the causes of this divide and see how people responded.
-
Guiding Questions
Did you know? Proletariat comes from the Roman Empire term that referred to people who were too poor for military service and whose main social contribution was producing children for the state. By the nineteenth century, scholars had begun applying the term to the working class, and Marx popularized its usage for wage laborers with little property.
The growing pains of industrial capitalism gave rise to a new economic system that sought reforms. These resources examine the emergence of a working class and socialism.
-
Guiding Questions
-
Guiding Questions
Looking to include more women in history class? “How Do You Include Women in the Story?” is full of ideas from the OER Project Teacher Community!
Read a graphic biography about an industrial worker and consider how she would reflect on the changes of the Industrial Revolution.
During the nineteenth century, some folks, particularly wealthy industrialists, benefited big-time, while others, mainly workers, not so much. Is it any wonder that many started to have different ideas about who got what—and how much?
a political or economic theory in which community members own all property, resources, and the means of production, and control the distribution of goods
Individuals who think community members should own and control property, production, and distribution subscribe to socialism.