Until the early 18th century, almost all of Britain's population lived off the agriculture of the country. However, in the following 150 years, an explosion of new ideas and inventions triggered a more urbanized region: resulting in the Industrial Revolution. The rise of the Industrial Revolution was contributed to a shift in energy use. Prior to the revolution, wood was most commonly used as a power source. However, coal was a more potent form of energy that was easily mined in Britain. The increase in demand for coal created a need for deeper mining which in result increased the risks of mines flooding. One of the first inventions was an engine to pump water of of mines to convenience and exploit the mining of coal. From here, Britain's wealth increased along with its power and inventions all of which the Industrial Revolution arose from. With the new era of industrialization came many hardships, challenges and cruelty to the working class of Britain. The overall costs of the Industrial Revolution did outweigh the benefits. The harsh working conditions, division and separation of social classes and the cruel nature of factory work during the Industrial Revolution were not worth the limited benefits.
Workers during the Industrial Revolution paid a hefty cost by dealing with harsh conditions within factories. Most worked at least 15 hours per day in environments with poor and grimy air along with dangerous, uncovered machinery (Document 2). A powerful primary account of a factory worker by the name of Joseph Hebergam in 1832 claims that factory related deaths are very common: infection, insufficient diet, damaged lungs, muscles that can not support body weight, broken bones and machine injuries (Document 2) were all frequent ailments of factory workers. Alongside Hebergam's accounts of factory conditions, Michael Ward, a doctor in Manchester during 1819 said "Factories are highly unfavorable, both to the health and morals of those employed in them " in interview about the health of textile factory workers conducted by the House Of Lord Committee.
