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Industrial Revolution
The shift from manually producing items to employing machines was known as the Industrial Revolution. Britain was the first country to industrialize due to a multitude of reasons. -
French Revolution
As a result of the French Revolution, many Bourgeoisies (middle-class people) sought refuge in Britain. Following the aristocracy’s fall, a land reform gave farmers access to arable land. Peasants were compelled to remain on their property as a result, preventing them from giving up farming and relocating to cities to work in industries. Due to this reform, fewer surplus workers were available to run industries at cheap prices. -
Napoleonic Wars
General Napoleon Bonaparte rose to prominence as a result of the French Revolution. Napoleon's war encouraged economic recovery and expansion. When Napoleon started working on infrastructure projects, internal trade grew in significance and effectiveness. France expanded its roads and canals, enhancing transport. Major rivers served as highways for goods, and canals connected them. The Wars also increased the demand for iron for making weapons and textiles for uniforms. -
Joseph Jacquard
Joseph Jacquard created a loom for the textile business in 1805 and continued to refine it until 1810. The Jacquard loom boosted textile output and contributed to the creation of the modern computer. -
Textile Industry Developments
After the Napoleonic Wars, the textile sector underwent improvements. The use of spindles, which were introduced from Britain, caused the textile industry to double in size between 1830 and 1860. More jobs in the sector were made possible by this. -
Start of the French Industrial Revolution
The majority of France's industrial growth took place in the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine. Iron ore and coal were found to be in good abundance in the area. For instance, the region of Calais and Lorraine both developed into coal mining regions. -
Barthelemy Thimonnier
Invented a sewing machine, which expedited making cloth. The French Army was drawn to his innovation and hired him to create an army uniform factory using 80 of his machines. However, a mob of enraged seamstresses destroyed Thimonnier's facility after feeling threatened by the loss of their profits. Although, the textile industry kept thriving after the war was over. -
St. Etienne-Andrezieux line, opened
The first railroad in France opened. Many further railroad lines opened following it. Due to the advancement of the transportation process, internal trade became more successful and efficient. -
Coal was discovered near Oignies
The huge mining region of Nord-Pas de Calais was established in 1842 after coal was found at Oignies, close to the northern mining district. Occupations that specifically support the lower class, particularly mothers and older children, became available. But at the cost of hazardous working circumstances. -
De Wendel Family
After seeking safety in Britain during the French Revolution, Francois de Wendel went back to Lorraine, bringing back the technologies he witnessed. He introduced the use of puddling kilns for smelting iron and steam engines for mining coal. The family expanded their firm into railroad construction and shipbuilding in the 1860s, hiring 10,000 workers in total. The production of iron grew even more in the 1860s increasing from 125,300 to 1,250,000 by 1865. -
Freycinet Plan
Which provided the iron required for the Freycinet Plan, which was started in 1879, a decade later. The Plan promoted the iron sector and planned for the growth of France's railroad network. Railroads became an integral part of France, they were essential to the army's mobilization during the rule of Napoleon III.