Summary

Things I have learned:

1.) I learned that the Agricultural Revolution played an important role in starting the Industrial Revolution. Specifically, the enclosure system led to unemployment among farmers which forced them to go work in factories.

2.) I learned about the differences between socialism and communism. Socialism is an economic system that seeks to manage the economy through deliberate and collective social control. Communism is a blend of political and economic systems that seeks to manage both the economy and society by ensuring that property is owned collectively, striving for classlessness and statelessness.

3.) I learned about Marx's dialectical materialism. This was Marx's way of explaining why everything in history seems to happen in a certain way, specifically struggles between social classes.

Things that interested me:

1.) Britain was very strict with allowing people out of the country. I think the whole idea of keeping things secret was interesting. Since we live in the information age, it's hard to imagine a world where countries can keep things secret. Even North Korea can't hide that they are testing nuclear weapons.

2.) The Trans-Siberian Railway was, and still is, the longest railroad ever built. Seriously? That's pretty impressive considering it was built in 1916.

One question I still have:

With the introduction of the factory system, and all the mindless work forced upon the lower class citizens of society, did the Industrial Revolution cause more harm than good?