Industrial Revolution Free Response

Explain how the Industrial Revolution influenced the rise of conservative and liberal philosophies and explain how those philosophies competed with or related to nationalism in Greece and Germany.


The Industrial Revolution of the 19th century was a time in European history filled with great breakthroughs and inventions.  Machines were invented that made work more efficient, and factories were created to give people more jobs.  However, there were no laws protecting the people who worked in these factories.  Everyone, including children, would work around 14 hour days in order to make a living for their families.  The Industrial Revolution was the largest influence for the rise of conservative and liberal philosophies in the sense that it created a platform for people to express their views publicly, and it was the start of several revolutions throughout Europe.


Kasooth was a huge influence on the European people during the Industrial Revolution.  He gave a speech, which was published in a newspaper and spread throughout Europe.  The people were inspired to fight for the rights of everyone and to also become their own separate nations.  Hungary was specifically affected by this speech because the people decided that they no longer wanted to be a part of Austria.  Everyone revolted against the government, and they became their own independent nation.  People throughout Europe decided to do what the Hungarian people did, and fight for the freedom of their nation.  These people were nationalists because they were joining together to make sure that their nation was rightly treated and received equal rights.  The Industrial Revolution was a time period in which people were inventing things that made it much more efficient to produce newspapers and things that would spread the ideas of conservatism and liberalism throughout Europe.


There were many people and nations throughout Europe who wanted freedom during this time, but their were also people who wanted things to stay the way they were.  Conservatives wanted to stick to the status quo and leave things they way they have always been.  Conservatives were against Germany becoming a unified nation because they liked things they way they were and did not want anything to change.  The liberals wanted Germany to become a unified nation; they did not like the way things were occurring throughout Europe.  The Congress of Vienna was held in order to decide whether or not Germany should become a unified nation.  Greece is an example of a nation fighting to become independent.  Greece wanted to become its own country and be able to have its own government.  Greece made an alliance with other European countries that could help them throughout their fight for independence.  All of these people who were fighting for their rights and independence are nationalists.


The corn riots throughout Europe were a huge way for people to show their dislike for the decisions of the government during the Industrial Revolution.  The people did not like the tax on bread and wheat; therefore, they decided to burn down fields of wheat and corn in protest.  The people would do this in order to show the government what they are doing wrong.  These protests were successful in getting the points of the people across to the government, but burning down fields is not an appropriate way to get your point across.  It will only harm the land and make things even worse for the people in the sense of taxes and food shortage.


In many revolutions throughout Europe, such as in Germany and Greece, the conservatives were keeping the country from becoming unified or independent.  They did not want things to change in their nation; they wanted things to stay exactly the way that they were.  The liberals were generally the ones who wanted the nations to change their ways and become either independent or unified.  Without the conservatives and liberals there would not be nationalism because the people would have nothing to fight for and unite over.  The people could unite themselves with nationalism and fight for their rights to be independent.  If the Industrial Revolution had never happened it is hard to imagine where Europe as a whole would be today.