The Urban Game

In the following simulation you will be creating an

urban area in England during the Industrial
Revolution. You need a pencil!
You will identify some of the social, economic and
logistic problems created by the Industrial Revolution
As we conduct the simulation, summarize what
happens during each round in your notes (include
dates)

The beginning
The year is 1700 and the nation is England.
The scene is a rural village.
Draw a river across your paper connecting
east to west; the river should be about 1 inch
wide; draw a simple wooden bridge crossing
the river; draw 2 roads one running north to
south and crossing the river at the bridge
and one running from east to west. Neither
road need be a straight line. Draw 10
houses; 1 church; 1 cemetery; 1 store; 1
pub; 1 coalmine; & at least 50 trees!!

Round 1

1745. Englands geography is unique in that

no section of the country is more than 90 miles
from the sea and there are many navigable
rivers that crisscross the countryside. An
enterprising young capitalist (you) decides to
invest money in the construction of a privately
owned canal. The profits Oxford Canal yielded a
300% annual return for its investors for a period
of more than 30 years. This new revolution in
transportation reduced the price of raw
materials and reduced the cost of
transportation drastically. Coal could now be
transported from the mines to the towns for half
the price of horse-wagon transportation.
Since you invested your money, thereby making a
tidy profit, build yourself 1 nice home anywhere
on the map you would like it to be. Dont forget
to construct the canal. It must connect to the
river.

Round 2
It is now 1750. For a variety of
different reasons (soap, diet,
sanitation, etc) there is a
population explosion in England,
and your village.
Add 5 houses (total 16).

Round 3
It is 1760. The people of your village need a bit more
food and goods to meet the needs of the new
inhabitants. Coincidentally, a number of other
noteworthy events occur around 1760. First, a
number of new mechanical inventions for farming are
developed. Perhaps the greatest impact was Jethro
Tulls creation of the seed drill and the horse
drawn cultivator. Also, farmers begin to experiment
with new, more productive farming practices like
crop-rotation, new fertilizers, & new livestock
breeding techniques. Consequently farm
production is significantly increased. But there is one
problem. Most farmers own one tract of land. A
series of laws call the Enclosure Acts are passed by
Parliament. This means that landowners can buy
pieces of common land from the government.

Fence off an area 3x3 inches to be

reserved as a commons. Add 5 houses
(total 21) and 1 more nice house.

Round 4
It is now 1775
A new machine called the water frame has been
created by Richard Arkwright . This new technology
is used in the first factories. The water frame uses
running water for power and spins and weaves
cloth 100 times faster than could be done by
hand. As a result, many people who weave cloth by
hand lose their jobs. These people move to your town to
work in the new factory.
Draw 1 factory (no smokeit is powered by
water)placed on the river bank. 10 houses, 1 church, 1
pub, 1 store.
Draw more roads if needed

Tenements
Profits soared from these textile
factories. As people swarm into your
town, housing is in high demand. A
new form of housing is created,
tenements. Tenements are much
like our apartment buildings but
very cramped and unsanitary.

Round 5
It is now 1785
As the town grows they need more places to live, eat,
shop, and drink. Average work day starts at 6am and
ends around 8pm, often with only a short 45 min lunch
break. Sunday is the only day of rest. Few workers can
save money, and many are in debt. Workers flock to
churches and local pubs. A new more effective
invention, the steam engine replaces water frame.
This change results in making factories more effective.
Draw 1 store, 3 pubs, 1 church, 1 school, 10 houses, 2
tenement buildings, 5 factories. Make sure factories have
smoke.

Round 6 1810

Iron, a very hard and durable metal, is mass

produced, creating a larger need for factories.
The demand for coal rises to make factories
work efficiently. Typical coal miners are
children 8-14 years old. Work is dangerous
with illness, explosions and accidents with
14 hour work days. Children have stunted
growth from being bent over for so long.
Draw 1 coal mine, 5 houses, 1 cemetery, and
one railroad that connects all factories with coal
mine

Round 7 1830
Most children work in factories or coal mines. They
are paid half as much as adults. Men turn to
crime and the social life of the pub. Alcoholism
becomes an epidemic. Family life is disrupted and
family members rarely see each other. Factory works
suffer from lung diseases and unsafe conditions.
Nevertheless, unemployment lines for the factories
are long. Workers struggle to get reforms because
women and men without land cannot vote.
Draw 1 jail, 2 pubs, 2 hospitals, 2 tenements and 1
cemetery

Round 8 1850
There are no pollution controls, the air in
your town looks dark. Layers of soot cover
the buildings, and the river is
completely polluted. A new disease called
cancer is found and life expectancy drops
to 30. The loss of privacy and family life
contribute to a 300% increase in suicides.
Increased production leads to wealth for
factory owners. England can easily feed
population.
Draw 1 cemetery, 1 hospital, 10 houses, 5
tenements, 2 stores, 1 church, 5 factories, 1

Processing
On a separate sheet of
paper:
How has the town changed over the
past 150 years?
How has daily life changed?
Over one hundred fifty years, three
generations would have lived in this
town. How does this impression of how
life changed relate to how your
grandparents view the world today?

Processing
Using your notes from the
activity:
Complete The Industrial Revolution: An
Analytical Perspective Chart

Thought
People now often speak of 21st
Century Jobs. What are some 21st
Century Jobs and how are they
different from 20th Century Jobs?
How is this economic shift similar to
changes from the Industrial
Revolution?