Name: Class Period: Date: Coal Mining By Sharon Fabian Young coal miners, drivers, and mules; taken in 1908 They spent six days per week in dark, dangerous underground tunnels. When seen in the light of day, they looked pale and unhealthy. Many became crippled at an early age. Yet, without their labor, Europe during the Industrial Revolution would have been a different place. In fact, without the labor of these coal miners, the Industrial Revolution couldn't have happened at all. The coal that these men dug out of the ground powered the machinery of the Industrial Revolution. It also heated their homes and the homes of other workers. Coal miners, despite their hard life and unimportant social standing, were indispensable members of society. Underground coal miners began their day early with a quick trip to the bottom of the mine shaft. They would spend their entire day in the pit, not surfacing until sundown. The two main groups of workers in the pit were hewers and putters. Hewers began their job at about age twenty, after working at other jobs in the mines for several years. They dug the coal loose from its underground seam using only a pick and their own strength. It was a back-breaking job. Putters were underground workers who pushed carts full of coal from the hewers to the sidings where it could be picked up by a driver. Sometimes two boys would work together to push one heavy cart. These young workers who could not push heavy carts by themselves were known as half-marrows. Putters had one of the most dangerous jobs in the mines. The youngest miners were the trappers. These children manned the doors, opening and closing them to let the wagons through. Other miners worked above ground at a variety of jobs. There were banksmen, brakesmen, trimmers, staithmen, screen-trappers, and gin drivers. Most of the jobs involved getting the coal from the pit to its destination. For instance, gin drivers drove a horse in endless circles. In this way, they powered a wheel that raised coal up from the pit. Staithmen attended a staging area where coal was re-loaded for the next stage of its journey. Two of the main issues that miners had to deal with were water and air. Water had to be pumped out of the mines, and, in fact, this was one of the first uses of the newly developed steam engine. Air quality posed a huge danger for the miners. The air was full of coal dust and dangerous to the miners' health, but this was not the problem that troubled them the most. Their biggest fear was of an explosion. Before the invention of safety lamps, miners used candles to light their way in the mines. These candles could set off an explosion when dangerous gasses, known as firedamp, were present in the mines. Miners looked for telltale signs like changes in the appearance of their candle flames to know when firedamp was present. Still, there were fearful explosions that took miners' lives. At the end of the day, miners came up from the mines to walk home. They didn't have far to walk since mining towns were usually built at the mine site in order to provide enough workers to operate the mine. Once at home, the miners washed off the coal dust and ate their one big meal of the day. Since miners expended so much energy at work, they were very hungry at dinner time. It was said that a miner could eat a dinner three times the size of an ordinary man's dinner. After filling up on potpies, roast beef, dumplings, or other filling fare, the miners went to sleep. They needed all the food and sleep they could get to stoke up their own energy for another day of working in the mines.
Questions 1. This article describes the work of. A. factory workers in Europe B. coal miners in America C. factory workers in America D. coal miners in Europe 2. Mining was work. A. dangerous B. dirty C. unhealthy D. all of the above 3. Miners usually traveled to work by. A. automobile B. train C. walking D. wagon 4. Coal was used for. A. heat B. power C. both D. neither 5. dug out the coal. A. Trappers B. Hewers C. Putters D. Gin drivers 6. worked with a horse. A. Gin drivers B. Trappers C. Hewers D. Putters 7. were the youngest miners. A. Hewers B. Gin drivers C. Trappers D. Putters 8. pushed carts full of coal. A. Hewers B. Gin drivers C. Trappers D. Putters
Write a minimum of 5 complete sentences about the connection between the Industrial Revolution and mining. How did mining affect the Industrial Revolution? How did the Industrial Revolution affect the mining industry? Railroads By Sharon Fabian Caption: John Ericsson's locomotive "Novelty," built 1829. The Industrial Revolution grew by stages. First, factories were built. Then, assembly lines speeded up production. The next step would be to move materials and finished products to and from the factories more quickly. That is where railroads came in. The individual components of railroads were already beginning to come together in England. Tramways with iron rails were making it easier for horse-drawn wagons and carriages to travel from place to place. Steam engines had been invented for use in pumping out coal mines, and improvements to these engines were already underway. Richard Trevithick built a steam locomotive that could travel on the tramway. It looked like an ordinary stage coach with a boiler and furnace added on, but it operated by pistons powered by steam and fueled by burning coal. These inventions all came together when George Stephenson invented the first steam locomotive to run on rails. Stevenson's railway locomotives were a big success. First, they were used mainly to carry materials like coal. Few passengers rode the early trains; many people feared these dangerous new inventions. But before too long, people wanted to take a ride. Trains began to carry passengers, too.
Soon, leaders of industry began to take notice of the trains. They began to see possibilities of greater wealth in the use of steam-powered transportation. They proposed a railway line to run from the port of Liverpool to the manufacturing town of Manchester. At first there was plenty of opposition to the project. Those who opposed the new railroad included canal operators, horse breeders, coach makers, and innkeepers. They all feared that the new form of transportation would cause them to lose business. Other people objected to the smoke and the noise. Some thought that trains would scare horses right off the road. The businessmen who wanted to build the railroad decided on a contest as a way to stir up interest in their project. It would also be a way to find the best train available for their railroad. The goal of the contest was to see who could build the best locomotive to fit the following specifications. It had to carry twenty tons of goods. It had to go at least ten miles per hour. It must have a boiler with two safety valves. And its engine filled with water must not weigh over six tons. Also, it had to be ready to compete at the Liverpool end of the line on October 1, 1829. Several trains were entered in the race, but when it came time for the competition, it was no contest. George Stevenson's entry, the Rocket, was the only engine that got the job done. The Rocket began to operate on a route between Liverpool and Manchester. It carried cotton to the mills. It also carried finished products to markets. The railroad became so popular that, soon, railroads were spreading all across England. Now, it seemed like everyone was riding the trains. City populations grew, and even more people traveled to and from the cities. Trains also carried goods to England's seaports for export. Factory produced goods were now being sent abroad in large quantities. So was grain from the farms. England's economy was growing in many areas, but one of the fastest growing areas was factory production. The railroads had successfully brought about the next step in the Industrial Revolution. Questions 1. Railroad lines were built all across England factories were built there. A. before B. at the same time as C. centuries after D. after 2. Early railways built for ordinary wagon and carriage traffic were called. A. canals B. roads C. railroads D. tramways 3. The earliest steam engines were used to. A. drive trains B. operate canals C. power wagons D. pump out mines 4. invented the first steam locomotive to run on rails. A. Richard Trevithick B. George Stephenson C. Orville Wright D. Thomas Edison
5. As a result of a contest, the Rocket became the new method of travel between Liverpool and. A. Manchester B. London C. Westminster D. England 6. Canal operators opposed the new railroad because they were afraid that they would lose. A. water B. canal paths C. boats D. business 7. As railroads grew, city populations. A. grew B. shrank C. fled D. shifted 8. Trains helped England to increase the amount of its exports. A. true B. false How did the building of railroads help to speed up the growth of industry in England (Write a minimum of 3 complete sentences)?