Living Conditions in Towns & Cities
History: KS3, topic 11.1.10
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Government action
- In the mid-1800 ADs, the government began to take action to clean up Britain’s cities and improve living conditions.
Test yourself on Living Conditions in Towns & Cities
Which is a disease people often contracted from dirty water?