历史小径·世界史英语30篇（4）

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工业革命：机器与生活变迁

Starting in late-18th-century Britain, new machines powered by steam replaced hand tools and animal labor.
Factories rose near coal mines and rivers, drawing workers from rural villages into fast-growing cities.
Textile production exploded — one spinning jenny could do the work of eight people using old wheels.
Railroads and steamships cut travel time, moved goods cheaply, and connected markets across continents.
Child labor was common at first, but rising public concern led to laws limiting working hours and ages.
New inventions like telegraphs allowed instant long-distance communication for the first time in human history.
Pollution, crowded housing, and dangerous conditions sparked labor unions and social reform movements.
This shift did not happen overnight, but it permanently altered how people worked, lived, and imagined progress.