The Development of Canals in the Industrial Revolution

Water was an important method of transport in Britain prior to the industrial revolution  and was used heavily for freight. Basically, to have a working economy, goods had to be moved from the place of production to the place of need, and vice versa. When travel was based on horses, no matter how good the road, there were limits on products, in terms of fragility or freshness or quantity. Water, which could take more, and faster, was crucial. There were three key aspects of water-borne trade: the sea, the coast, and rivers. Sea Carriage: Overseas trade required large ships and was important for importing and exporting goods and raw materials. Several key British ports, including the hub of the nation in London, had been growing on trade even before the boom of the revolution, and many traders had built public buildings. As the revolution got underway and Britain experienced an export boom in the late eighteenth century, wealth was reinvested in refurbishing ports, and they expanded greatly.Coastal Trade: Moving heavy goods at sea along the coast of Britain was much cheaper than moving the same items along the road network, and coastal trade was a key aspect of Britain’s economy. Between 1650 and 1750, i.e. before the industrial revolution, half a million metric tons of coal was moved this way from Newcastle in the north to London in the south. Foodstuffs could be moved fairly quickly through coastal trade, and the access supported provincial trade. The east coast, with a sheltered, smooth sea, ha d the greatest use, and most early industries like iron, tin, and grain depended on this method.Navigable Rivers: Britain made major use of its river network for transport as well as waterwheel energy, but there were problems. Rivers didn’t always—or rarely—went where you wanted your goods to go, and they were affected by drought and erosion, as well as other industries being in the way. Many were simply unnavigable. People had tried to improve the river network by dredging, widening, and cutting past meanders by the start of the eighteenth century, and canals became the logical next step. Indeed, it was river improvements that gave the engineers of the canals their start. However, lots of important industrial areas in Britain, such as Birmingham, didn’t have any water links and were held back. If there wasnt a river, or you werent on the coast, you had transport problems. The solution was to be found in canals, a man-made route in which you could (mostly) direct the traffic. Expensive, but if done right, a way of making large profits. The Solution: Canals The first British canal to follow a totally new route (the first British canal was the Sankey Brooke Navigation, but this followed a river) was the Bridgewater canal from collieries in Worsley to Manchester. It was opened in 1761 by the colliery’s owner, the Duke of Bridgewater. This reduced the Duke’s shipping costs by 50%, vastly cheapening his coal and opening up a whole new market. This illustrated to the rest of Britain’s industrialists what canals could achieve, and it also demonstrated both what engineering could do, and what wide-ranging enterprise could create: the Duke’s money had come from agriculture. By 1774 over 33 government acts had been passed providing for canals, all in the Midlands where there were no comparative or realistic alternative means of water transport, and the boom continued. Canals became the perfect answer to regional needs. The Economic Impact of Canals Canals allowed a greater volume of goods to be moved more precisely, and for much less, opening up new markets in terms of location and affordability. Seaports could now be connected to inland trade. Canals allowed for the greater exploitation of coal reserves as the coal could be moved further, and sold cheaper, allowing a new market to form. Industries could now relocate to coalfields or move to towns, and the materials and products could be moved either way. Of over 150 canal acts from 1760 to 1800, 90 were for coal purposes. At the time—before the railways—only canals could have coped with the swiftly rising demand for coal from industries like iron. Perhaps the most visible economic effect of canals was around Birmingham, which was now joined to the British freight transport system and grew hugely as a result. Canals stimulated new ways of raising capital, as the majority of canals were built as joint stock companies, with each company having to apply for an act of Parliament. Once created, they could sell shares and buy land, bringing in widespread investment, not just local. Only a tenth of the funding came from the elite of wealthy industrialists, and the first modern company management structures were put in place. Capital began to flow around the constructions. Civil engineering also advanced, and this would be fully exploited by the railways. The Social Impact of Canals The creation of canals created a new, paid, labor force called ‘Navvies’ (short for Navigators), increasing spending power at a time when industry needed markets, and each canal needed people to load and unload. However, people tended to fear navvies, accusing them of taking local jobs. Indirectly, there were also new opportunities in mining, hardware, and other industries, for instance, the potteries, as markets for goods opened right up. The Problems of Canals Canals still had their problems. Not all areas were environmentally suitable for them, and places like Newcastle had relatively few. There was no central planning and the canals weren’t part of an organized national network, constructed in different widths and depths, and largely limited to the Midlands and North West of England. Canal transport could be expensive, as some companies monopolized areas and charged high tolls, and competition from rival companies could cause two canals to be built along the same route. They were also slow, so things had to be ordered well in advance, and they could not make passenger travel cost effective. The Decline of the Canals Canal companies never solved the problems of speed, making the invention of a faster method of transport almost inevitable. When the railways were introduced in the 1830s people felt that the advancement would spell the immediate end of the canals as a major network for freight. However, canals continued to remain competitive for a number of years and it wasn’t until the 1850s that railways really replaced the canals as the primary method of transport in Britain. Sources and Further Reading Clapham, John. An Economic History of Modern Britain. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2010.  Fogel, R. W. â€Å"The New Economic History. I. Its Findings and Methods.† The Economic History Review 19.3 (1966):642–656.  Turnbull, Gerard. Canals, coal and regional growth during the industrial revolution. The Economic History Review 40.4 (1987): 537–560.

The Effect of Comprehensive School Reform On Middle School...

Introduction Schools with high dropout rates are categorized as underperforming schools. Since a majority of our children, who drop out of school, do so in middle school or the first year of high school and their ages range between 12 and 16 years (Cohen Smerdon, 2009). It is the inability of many middle school kids to make the transition to high school that contributes to an increase in dropout rates. In order to address under performing schools and the high dropout rates, school reform programs were initiated by federal, local, state governments and many independent organizations. School reform programs were a means to improve student performance in the classroom and show a measured increase in student achievement (Brandlow, 2001)†¦show more content†¦Consequently, effective CSR programs would provide the needed influx of money and professional teachers need to turn around low performing multicultural and high poverty schools. When looking back on programs directed towa rds the middle school, it is easy to point out several successful and some not successful programs. Erb (2006) reported Turning Points as being the most implemented and most researched of all the middle school models. Turning Points was created by the Center for Collaborative Education in Boston (CCE). The National Turning Points Network is based on the research performed by Carnegie Corporation of New York. In addition to Turning Points, Erb (2006 p.3) also added, AIM at Middle-Grades Results, Different Ways of Knowing, Making Middle Grades Work, Middle Start, Success for All Middle School Programs and Talent Development Middle School Model. Comprehensive School reform is still the viable means for making under performing schools work (Gross, Booker, Goldhaber, 2009). Comprehensive School Reform in Middle School The concept of Middle School as describe by Erb (2006), â€Å"remain unequalled as the most potent factor for improving the performance of young adolescents(p. 10). Regardless of the model, K-8 or 8-12 or 6-8 we must address the unique adolescent requirements of the 11-14 year olds as they transition from childhood to the teen years.Show MoreRelatedThe Achievement Gap Between Black And White999 Words   |  4 PagesThe achievement gap is defined as the an unequal or inequitable distribution of educational outcomes and benefits. Researchers have identified a variety of reasons why the achievement gap between whites and blacks continues to persist. Fryer and Levitt (2002) argue that initially there is no difference between equivalent Black and White children upon entering kindergarten. 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Concert Review Free Essays

Despite slavery legally ending in 1 865, African Americans still didn’t have the same rights as white Americans. â€Å"Jazz was music that both black and white people could enjoy. By the 1 sass, jazz was growing in popularity and included influences from Europe as well as Africa† (Washington post). We will write a custom essay sample on Concert Review or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Jazz Band featured a series of special guests such as Johnny Gonzales (Saxophone), Dennis Dotson (Trumpet), and Bobby Guess (Bass Trombone). High’s Blues is a tune that was composed by Jeff Jarvis. The primary instrumentalists were Jeff Lam with he Vibes, Kali Pinions with the Alto Sax, Ray Hills with the Piano, Ashley Flowers with the Trumpet, and Jimmy Banks with the Guitar. This piece’s dynamic or volume was fortissimo and/or very loud. The melody seemed to have been fairly conjunct with metered rhythm. The texture was apparently homophobic with a thick texture. Cantaloupe Island is a tune that was composed by Hancock. The primary instrumentalists were Each Outlander with the Trumpet and Tory Zimmerman with the Fullerton. The Fullerton is defined as a brass musical instrument like a cornet but with a mellower tone. The use of the Fullerton in this piece demonstrated the wide dynamic range the ensemble had. The dynamics or volume was fortissimo and/or very loud. Candy Dancer is a tune that was composed by Jeff Jarvis. The primary instrumentalists were Marcel Primes with the Bass, Michael Williams with the Piano, Kali Pinions with the Alto Sax, Ashley Flowers with the Trumpet, and Jimmy Banks with the Guitar. Horn of Pungent is a tune that was composed by Goodwin. The primary instrumentalist was Ashley Mowers with the Trumpet. This was one of the first solo performances that the band completed. The trumpet, being a brass musical instrument with a flared bell and a bright, penetrating tone, influenced the dynamic or volume of the piece to be fortissimo or very loud. The rhythm was also metered and the Timbre or quality of sound was very clear. Another piece that essentially managed to do the same thing was Top Dog. Top Dog is a tune that was composed by Yeastiness. The primary instrumentalist was Each Outlander with the Trumpet. Both solos demonstrated both virtuosity and expression, along with some humorous moments. Solo’s serve to highlight performers’ ability to play Off each other, while allowing his or her individual strength to shine through. Aaron’s Blues is a tune that was composed by Chip McNeill. The primary instrumentalists were Michael Williams with the Piano, Eel Baker, with the Alto Sax, Bobby Guess with the Bass Trombone, and Denny Willie with the Trumpet. This piece contained a strong melody with a Forte or loud dynamic. Magellan is a tune that was composed by Strongmen. The primary instrumentalists were Michael Williams with the Piano, Dennis Dotson with the Trumpet, and Bob Peel with the Tenor Sax. This piece seemed to be a bit distinct or â€Å"jumping all over the place† because of the unusual instruments that were combined. For the most part, this piece’s dynamic was fortissimo or very loud while the timbre or quality of sound was clear. Jeannine is a tune that was arranged by Taylor. The primary instrumentalists were Dennis Dotson with the Trumpet and Johnny Goggles with the Sax. This piece reminded me of â€Å"Hot Jazz† that was played in Jazz Houses by imitators of New Orleans. There’s Only So Much Oil in the Ground is a tune that was arranged by Tomato. The primary instrumentalists were Johnny Goggles with the Sax and Michael Williams with the Top Organ sounds. This piece seemed to be fortissimo or very loud. It seemed to be Polyphonic by containing multiple melodic lines of equal importance. Finally, Rock This Town is a tune that was arranged by Dave Wolfe. The primary instrumentalists Were Dennis Dotson with the Trumpet and Johnny Goggles with the Sax. This piece was fortissimo or very loud. This piece also reminded me of the â€Å"swing† era where music was performed in order to encourage dance. They called this era the â€Å"binge band RA†. How to cite Concert Review, Papers