You've learned that the Industrial Revolution had a significant impact on everyday life in Britain, mainland Europe, Japan and the United States. The introduction of the factory system, labor unions and advances in transportation had far reaching impacts on the economies of these nations as well. Industrialization had its share of both champions who celebrated these changes and critics who opposed them. It's your turn to take a stand! For your assessment, you will defend your position as either a champion of the Industrial Revolution or a critic. You may benefit from viewing this tutorial on argument writing to help you prepare your arguments. Step 1: Make a Claim

Choose one of the following positions (also called a claim or thesis) to defend:

"While the Industrial Revolution had both positive and negative effects on society and the economy, the positive effects outweighed the negative."

"While the Industrial Revolution had both positive and negative effects on society and the economy, the negative effects outweighed the positive."

Step 2: Write Your Arguments

Using what you learned in the lesson, support your position with at least three facts about the social and economic effects of the Industrial Revolution. Be sure to address both positive and negative impacts.

Your submission must include:

at least two to three paragraphs
a brief introduction presenting your chosen position
at least three logical arguments to support your chosen position, using factual evidence from the lesson
a conclusion that summarizes your arguments
formal writing style