"Revolution" is a powerful, violent word. But it is scarcely powerful or violent enough to describe the changes created by the process known as the industrial revolution. That radical upheaval, which began in England two centuries ago and spread around the globe, completely remade human society. In his introduction to this volume, historian Peter N. Stearns calls the industrial revolution "one of those rare occasions in world history when the human species has altered its framework of existence." In this unique volume, Stearns and coauthor John Hinshaw examine this process of fundamental change, both from a global vantage point and close-up. They chronicle the progress of industrialization from 1760 to the present in all developed countries worldwide. Their goal is to create a portrait of the industrial revolution that reflects both its tremendous scope and its varied forms. The volume focuses on the transformation of industry itself - the impact on work, factories, inventions, and government involvement in the workplace. But it also examines the revolution's enormous social impacts, such as alienation, consumerism, communism, unemployment, and the altered roles of women and black workers. It offers readers an in-depth understanding of the upheaval that has affected our lives more profoundly than any event since the invention of agriculture. Features of this user-friendly volume include a comprehensive introduction that places the industrial revolution in historical and social perspective, an extensive bibliography, a timeline that spans four centuries, and a subject index. The text is enhanced by more than 40 illustrations.

Introduction: Defining the Industrial Revolution -- The Industrial Revolution.