The significant transformation of economies and societies characterized by the widespread adoption of powered machinery is a crucial concept within AP Human Geography. This shift, initially centered in Great Britain during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, marked a transition from agrarian and handicraft-based economies to ones dominated by industry and machine manufacturing. An example includes the development of factories and mass production techniques, which drastically altered settlement patterns, labor practices, and resource consumption.
Understanding this transformative period is essential because it laid the foundation for contemporary globalization, urbanization, and patterns of economic development. Its effects, including increased productivity, new forms of transportation and communication, and unprecedented population growth, continue to shape the human landscape. Furthermore, it created new social structures and spatial inequalities that are still relevant when analyzing regional disparities and economic activities.
