3.2.1. Summary

3 things I have learned...

1. The Industrial Revolution began with the textile industry.
2. Socialism refers to an economic system, while communism refers to an economic and political system.
3. Romantics were opposed to industrialization.

2 things that interested me...

1. Even though James Watts was not the creator of the steam engine, he is often associated with creating it because of his extensive contributions to the steam engine.
2. Queen Victoria was the first carrier of hemophilia.

1 question I still have...

1. How is Marxian Socialism also considered communism?

Spotlight On: James Watts (1736-1819)

From a young age Watts was intrigued by mechanics.  At age 17 he was interested in Newcomen's steam engine.  He decided he wanted to improve upon the Newcomen steam engine.  By the time Watts was 29, he had determined the properties of steam and had created a separated condenser for steam engines.  Based on this information he was able to design a separate condensing container for the steam engine, which lost a great amount of steam and improved the vacuum conditions.  In 1768 he associated with John Roebuck, who funded Watts' research and obtained a patent for Watts the following year.  When Roebuck went bankrupt, Watts partnered up with Mattew Boulton.  Together they manufactured the steam engine.  Watts continued to study the steam engine and received many more patents for several other inventions.  Among some of his inventions was the centrifugal governor and the pressure gauge.  Later on Watts retired from the field of inventing and dedicated himself to research work.  Watts is sometimes mistaken as the original creator of the steam engine.  He also had the electrical unit Watt named after him.  Watt died on August 19, 1819 in Heathfield, England.

War of 1812

The War of 1812 began when Napoleon issued a blockade on Great Britain.  In response, Britain passed the Orders in Council in 1806 which did not permit US ships to land in a European port without stopping at a British port first.  An angry America lashed out by declaring war in 1812.  The war dragged on through 1814.  In the city of Ghent American negotiators, John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay, met with British diplomats.  On December 24, 1814, the Treaty of Ghent was signed ending the War of 1812.  However the news had not yet reached Andrew Jackson and his army in New Orleans, and on January 8, 1815 the American army defeated the British at the Battle of New Orleans.  With Napoleon emperor over France, Europe always seemed to be at war, and in 1812 France invaded Russia.  When Napoleon invaded Moscow he found it abandoned and in flames.  With no clear victory, he began to retreat.  Only 20,000 men survived.

The Louisiana Purchase

In 1803 the Louisiana Purchase occurred because the United States need to expand.  So Thomas Jefferson made contact with Napoleon, Emperor of France, through Robert Livingston.  At first Napoleon refused to give up the land.  But when Jefferson sent James Monroe to France to try and persuade Napoleon, Napoleon offerred to sell all of Louisiana.  Monroe paid 15 million dollars for it.  At this point in history in Europe, Napoleon had just become emperor of France.  He had just begun a series of wars known as the Napoleonic Wars, which spanded from 1803 until 1815.

Friederich List

Friederick List is best known for developing the National System.  During the Industrial Revolution List was also a strong advocate of the railroad in Germany.  In addition, List is known for starting the Zollverein, unifying Germany economically.  List was offered the job as editor for Rheinische Zeitung, however he declined the offer because of his health.  The job as editor eventually went to Karl Marx.

   

Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria holds the record for the longest reign in history with 64 years.  She was queen during one of Britain's highest moments in history, the Industrial Revolution.  Queen Victoria's reign is known as the Victorian Era.  Child labor was a major issue in England during this time, like during the Industrial Revolution.  The solution was the Mines Act which stopped children under ten from working in the mines, and the Factory Act which prevented children between the ages of eight and thirteen from working more than six and half hours a day.  Queen Victoria will forever be remembered as the Grandmother of Europe.

Karl Marx

Karl Marx is important to this chapter because he played a major role in creating socialism as well as communism.  Together with Friedrich Engels he wrote Communist Manifesto, which became known as the bible for socialism.  Marx's ideas united sociology, economics, and all human history in a vast and imposing edifice