The Industrial Revolution in Britain

The BBC documentary “The Industrial Revolution” by Professor Jeremy Black explains how Britain became the focal point of the Industrial Revolution. According to Black (2018), Britain had a unique international position that allowed it to utilize natural coal and scientific developments to spark industrial revolution across the world. Black (2018) uses an example of a British astronomer who discovered Uranus, Isaac Newton who discovered the force of gravity, and the British scientist who discovered the properties of gas and air. These scientific discoveries were inspired by intellectual inspirations and scientific developments that challenged religious dogma, leading to the industrial enlightenment, making Britain the richest and most powerful country in the 19th

century.

            The thing that I enjoyed about the documentary is the use of visual evidence and illustrations. For example, the initial parts of the documentary shows a machine used to drain flood water from coal mine areas (Black 2018). The images and illustrations has caused curiosity and excitement, and I have developed the desire to continue watching the film and learning more about the industrial revolution.

            What I did not enjoy in the about the BBC documentary is the length, language and too much details. The speaker uses a strong British accent and spends a lot of time explaining each element of the industrial revolution. The one-hour documentary is too long and complex to follow, but with patience and keenness, it becomes educative and interesting.

            The two questions that I would ask from the documentary are: What made the United Kingdom fall behind the U.S. in terms of economic growth if it was the richest country during the Industrial Revolution, and how did the revolution spread to other countries? In conclusion, Black has provided an educative story about Industrial Revolution in Britain, showing the causes and effects on the country.

Works Cited

Black, Jeremy. The Industrial Revolution. BBC Documentary, August 9, 2018. Web. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYln_S2PVYA.