Chapter 18

During this time period, the industrial revolution gave rise to new economic needs, many of which found solutions abroad. Europe's growing wealth and goods created a need for extensive raw materials and agricultural products. They collected, wheat from the American Midwest and southern Russia, meat from Argentina, bananas from Central America, rubber from Brazil, cocoa and palm oil from West Africa, tea from Ceylon, gold and diamonds from South America. These demands changed the social and economic life in these countries. Additionally, with the booming success of the industrial revolution and the needs it required also came new ways of transporting these goods around. With new machines to move products over long distances gave Europe a great power because they produced many of the goods and were used all over the world. Additionally, with this newfound way of life came a great deal of racism. It was that "scientifically" people of other races had different (lesser) qualities than the white people and therefore white supremacy started to happen. Not only were these differences taking place but also the way of working changed as well. It changed taxes, labor, enterprises and methods of transportation. Instead of subsistence farming, they tried to seek what they produced for cash income. The cash was then used to pay taxes and buy machines that were needed. During this time Artisans often suffered because the machines prices had to be lower. Overall, chapter 18 was very insightful as to how the industrial revolution impacted Europe but also the countries Europe was in contact with as well. It is interesting to learn more about how recent this revolution was and how the events that played out still have an impact on today's world.