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Description
One of the great railway builders, Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed some of the nation's most magnificent suspension bridges, as well as tunnel entrances and railway stations. Witness him then turning his attention to the world of shipbuilding, where he pioneered the production of ocean-going steamships.
Description
Survey a wealth of 19th-century British literature, from poets such as William Wordsworth to novelists such as Charles Dickens and Elizabeth Gaskell. These works of literature offer a unique perspective on the Industrial Revolution, from evocative descriptions of the new technology to scathing indictments of the emerging labor system.
Description
Continue your study of American industrialization with a look at the steamships, canals, and railways that opened up the great continent. Then, turn to a series of great inventions in the 19th century, including the McCormick reaper, the John Deere steel plow, the telegraph, and the Colt revolver.
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Transportation became critically important as new industries emerged. Find out how canal builders connected major cities by water, which greatly enhanced the country's internal communications and allowed for the transportation of goods over long distances at relatively low cost. Look at the methods of building a canal and several key routes.
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In the West Indies, the English and French governments encouraged piracy (called "buccaneering" in that area) as a strategy to weaken the Spanish. Learn about the most famous buccaneer of all, the Welshman Henry Morgan, whose extreme exploits from Venezuela to Panama to Jamaica contributed to our concepts of piracy in popular culture today.
Description
Interchangeable parts and mass production took the Industrial Revolution to a new level. Beginning with the bicycle industry in the 1870s and continuing through the rise of automobiles in the 20th century, this episode shows how mechanized transportation not only changed the world for consumers, it also transformed the business of factory labor.
Description
Historically, pirates and privateers were often the first people from their home nations heading into uncharted waters, returning home with valuable charts, logs, and geographic information--as well as stolen market goods and coins. Uncover the convoluted reality behind the "adventures" of Francis Drake, William Dampier, and others.
Description
Since World War II, Japan, China, and other Asian nations have emerged as industrial powerhouses. Follow Japan as it gradually built a reputation for making dependable, low-priced goods. Then, shift your attention to China and see how it has achieved rapid economic growth in recent decades. Conclude with an examination of modern-day India.
Description
The invention of the steam engine was a major turning point for industry. Meet the engineers and businessmen who developed and improved the engines and locomotives that would drive the British economy in the 19th century. Key figures include James Watt, Matthew Boulton, John "Iron-Mad" Wilkinson, and George Stephenson.
Description
Rising demand for coal and improvements in mining technology transformed coal mining into a large-scale capitalist enterprise. Dive into one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, see what problems miners had to overcome, and examine some of the solutions. Learn about steam engines, safety lamps, ventilation, and more.
Description
Examine popular pirate legends, and discover which aspects include some truth and which contain none at all. While much of the information we have about pirates and piracy comes from fiction as opposed to historical texts, pirate literature can teach us a lot about the jolly roger, gold-filled treasure chests, the pirate Edward Thatch (also known as Blackbeard), and more.
Description
In the 16th century, the Spanish had the largest European presence in the Caribbean. Learn how that power hold was broken and which nationalities joined in the subsequent piratical free-for-all. How do we know what happened there? Discover the historical importance of Alexander Exquemelin's Buccaneers of America and A General History of the Pyrates by "Captain Charles Johnson."
Description
While it might come as a bit of a surprise, pirates apparently loved their music. In fact, some pirates kept musicians as prisoners just so they could hear them play. Consider the many benefits music brought to the pirate ships, the musical entertainment produced by pirates, as well as the ballads and melodramas created by others about the pirates' lives.
Description
Reflect on how industry and technology contributed to the phenomenal destructiveness of World War II and helped the Allies win the war. With the Soviet Union's mass-produced tanks and aircraft and US and British bombers and special weaponry, the Allies were well prepared to defeat the industrially weakened Germans.
Description
The Great Courses partners with the Smithsonian to examine the extraordinary events and uncover the far-reaching impact of this incredible era. In 36 fascinating episodes, Professor Allitt introduces you to the inventors, businessmen, and workers responsible for transforming our lives and fueling one of the greatest periods of innovation in human history.
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The American belief in upward mobility and its heterogeneous workforce constrained the union labor movement. Nevertheless, many strikes and protests did occur in response to industrialization. Experience the Great Railroad Strike, the Haymarket Square riot, and other important events in the history of American labor.
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In the early 1800s, just as piracy was on the decline in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, it was exploding in Asia as Europeans, Arabs, Persians, Filipinos, and many others vied for access to the Chinese markets. See how Cheng I and Cheng I Sao organized a vast and well-organized system of piracy, unlike the piratical chaos of the Caribbean.
Description
Where would the world's machines be without the tools with which to build and service them? We seldom think of the humble nuts and bolts that hold our machines together, but someone had to create and standardize them. Find out about that process and reflect on the importance (and impact) of industrial tools and their makers.
Description
The effects of the Industrial Revolution can be felt in every realm, perhaps none so starkly as the field of economics. Adam Smith, Thomas Malthus, David Ricardo, and others analyzed the causes and effects of industrialization and put forth the theories of capitalism that still underlie economics today.
Description
Even our modern-day image of pirates has been greatly shaped by 19th-century literature and theatre, which managed to rehabilitate the image of pirates from criminals into sentimental heroes. Consider your own concept of pirates as you explore their portrayal in works by Lord Byron, Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, and more.
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