11.1.10

Living Conditions in Towns & Cities

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Living Conditions

The Industrial Revolution turned Britain into an urban nation, with thriving cities which were hubs of industry and production. However, overcrowding in cities led to poor living conditions.

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Public health

  • While the vast number of Britons moving to towns and cities for work was good for industrialisation and the British economy, it was not so good for living conditions and public health.
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Terraces

  • As thousands of labourers swarmed to the newly growing cities, conditions quickly became cramped and overcrowded.
  • Back-to-back terraced houses were built in cities like London, Manchester and Birmingham to try and accommodate the increasing numbers of inhabitants.
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The houses

  • These houses were tightly packed together, letting in little natural light, and had no outdoor space.
  • Sometimes, multiple families would share a house or even a single room.
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Water

  • In the poor, slum areas of cities, there would be no running water in people’s houses.
  • Water had to be collected from a water pump in the street or even from the river.
  • The water would be dirty, and many people contracted diseases like tuberculosis and cholera as a result.
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Government action

  • In the mid-1800 ADs, the government began to take action to clean up Britain’s cities and improve living conditions.

Jump to other topics

1Empires East & West: 1000 AD

1.1The Rise & Fall of Ancient China’s Empire

1.2The Medieval Greatness of the Byzantine Empire

1.3The Golden Age of the Islamic Empire

1.4The Politics & Power of the Holy Roman Empire

1.5Medieval Religion

1.6The Influence of the Church in Medieval Times

1.7How Religion Tested the Power of Kings

1.8Dynastic Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.9Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.10Revolts, Rebellions & Rights

1.11Medieval England & Her Neighbours

1.12European Renaissance

1.13Norman Conquest & Control

1.14Historical Skills

2The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

2.1Anglo-Saxon England

2.2The Contest for the English Throne

2.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

2.4King John

2.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

2.6The Black Death

3Worldviews

4The Empire of Mali: 1076-1670 AD

5The Renaissance & Reformations: 1500-1598 AD

6The British Empire: 1583-1960 AD

7The Peasants' Revolt: 1381 AD

8Religion in the Middle Ages

9Slavery: 1619-1833 AD

10The English Civil War: 1642-1660 AD

11The Industrial Revolution: 1750-1840 AD

12US Independence: 1775-1783 AD

13The French Revolution: 1789-1815 AD

14The British Empire: 1857–1930 AD

15Suffrage: 1840-1928 AD

16World War 1: 1914-1918 AD

17The Inter-War Years: 1919-1939 AD

18World War 2: 1939-1945 AD

19The Cold War: 1947-1962 AD

20Civil Rights in the USA: 1954-1975 AD

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