The Industrial Revolution began in England in the 18th century and spread throughout Europe and North America. Historians have identified several causes of the Industrial Revolution, including:

• Emergence of capitalism: Industrialization required significant work and investment from individuals and not necessarily the government. Wealthy entrepreneurs were important because they used their wealth to create factories and mines. This investment from individuals, whose actions were guided by the profit motive, would not have been possible without the emergence of capitalism.

• European imperialism: By taking over other areas of the world, European countries gained access to new resources and markets. This helped fuel the growth of industry and trade.

• Agricultural Revolution: Improved agricultural productivity freed up workers to work in other sectors of the economy. The Agricultural Revolution began in Britain in the 17th century and continued throughout the centuries that followed, alongside the Industrial Revolution.

Other changes that helped bring about the Industrial Revolution included the use of steam, and later of other kinds of power, in place of the muscles of human beings and of animals. The adoption of the factory system, based on the concentration of industry into specialized and often large establishments, was also a key development.

The Industrial Revolution brought about sweeping changes in economic and social organization. These changes included a wider distribution of wealth, increased international trade, and the development of managerial hierarchies to oversee the division of labor. By the late 1700s, many people could no longer earn their living in the countryside and moved from farms and villages into bigger towns and cities to find work in factories. Cities grew larger, but they were often dirty, crowded, and unhealthy. Workers sought to win improved conditions and wages through labor unions, which helped establish laws to protect workers.