A Level History chapter 2: AS: The Industrial Revolution in Britain, 1750-1850 (exams to Nov 2026) MCQs with answers
By Team Megalecture · Updated 4 Nov 2026
44 exam-style questions on AS: The Industrial Revolution in Britain, 1750-1850 (exams to Nov 2026), each with the answer and a short explanation. Ten of them are below to try. The chapter test draws ten fresh questions each time and is marked the moment you finish, with your score by topic.
The causes of the Industrial Revolution10 questions
The rapid growth of industrialisation after 178012 questions
Urbanisation and its consequences11 questions
Popular protest and political change11 questions
Ten AS: The Industrial Revolution in Britain, 1750-1850 (exams to Nov 2026) questions with answers
Try each one, then open the answer. These ten stay the same; the test draws new ones every time.
1. Why was Abraham Darby's use of coke in smelting iron so important?
A
it freed iron production from dependence on scarce charcoal
B
it made iron production cheaper than steel for the first time
C
it allowed iron to be imported from Sweden
D
it removed the need for blast furnaces
Show answer
Answer: A. Charcoal came from woodland, which was limited. Coke made from Britain's plentiful coal let iron output grow rapidly.
2. Which machine, patented by Richard Arkwright in 1769, spun strong thread using water power?
A
the spinning jenny
B
the mule
C
the water frame
D
the flying shuttle
Show answer
Answer: C. The water frame was too large for a cottage and led to water-powered mills. The jenny was Hargreaves's hand machine; the mule was Crompton's.
3. What was new about the Rochdale Pioneers (1844)?
A
they founded the first national trade union for all trades
B
they ran a cooperative shop paying members a dividend on purchases
C
they organised the first general strike in Lancashire in 1842
D
they set up the first friendly society to insure workers against sickness
Show answer
Answer: B. The Rochdale Pioneers' model of member ownership and a dividend on purchases became the basis of the cooperative movement.
4. Why did the Public Health Act of 1848 have limited effect?
A
it was repealed within a year under pressure from ratepayers
B
it applied only to London and not to the industrial towns
C
local boards were optional unless a town's death rate was high
D
it was opposed by Chadwick, who wanted stronger central powers
Show answer
Answer: C. The Act set up a General Board of Health, but towns could choose whether to create local boards unless their death rate exceeded 23 per 1,000.
5. What happened to the three national Chartist petitions of 1839, 1842 and 1848?
A
all three were rejected by the House of Commons
B
the 1848 petition was accepted
C
they were never presented
D
the 1842 petition led directly to a new Reform Act
Show answer
Answer: A. Each petition was rejected, and the 1848 one was found to contain many false signatures, which damaged the movement.
6. Which social group gained most political influence from the Reform Act of 1832?
A
agricultural labourers
B
factory workers
C
the urban middle class
D
women property owners
Show answer
Answer: C. The £10 householder franchise in the boroughs gave the vote to many middle-class men but excluded most workers, which later fed Chartism.
7. Which was a key feature of the 1833 Factory Act?
A
a ten-hour day for all textile workers
B
a ban on women working underground
C
the appointment of factory inspectors to enforce it
D
a ban on child labour in all industries, not just textiles
Show answer
Answer: C. The 1833 Act banned under-9s from textile mills and limited hours for older children, with inspectors to enforce it. The ten-hour day came in 1847 and the mines ban in 1842.
8. Robert Bakewell is best known for
A
inventing the seed drill
B
popularising the four-course rotation
C
the selective breeding of livestock
D
draining the Fens
Show answer
Answer: C. Bakewell bred sheep and cattle for more meat. The seed drill was Jethro Tull's; the four-course rotation is linked with 'Turnip' Townshend.
9. How did the spread of country banks help early industrialisation?
A
they printed the national currency
B
they provided local credit and loans to businesses
C
they collected taxes for the government
D
they insured ships and their cargoes against loss at sea
Show answer
Answer: B. Country banks grew rapidly after 1750, channelling local savings into loans for manufacturers and merchants. Insurance was the work of firms such as Lloyd's.
10. Why were the Tolpuddle Martyrs transported to Australia in 1834?
A
for taking part in the Swing riots
B
for leading an armed Chartist rising at Newport
C
for breaking machines
D
for swearing secret oaths when forming a union
Show answer
Answer: D. The Dorset labourers were convicted under a law against illegal oaths, since unions themselves had been legal since 1824. Public protest won their release.
AS: The Industrial Revolution in Britain, 1750-1850 (exams to Nov 2026): questions students ask
How many AS: The Industrial Revolution in Britain, 1750-1850 (exams to Nov 2026) MCQs are there?
44, each with the answer and a short explanation, across 4 topics: The causes of the Industrial Revolution, The rapid growth of industrialisation after 1780, Urbanisation and its consequences, Popular protest and political change. Every chapter test draws ten of them, so you can take it many times.
Is the A Level History chapter 2 test free?
Yes. The test, the answers and the explanations are free and need no sign-up. Sign in only if you want your scores kept across devices.
How is the chapter test marked?
The moment you press Finish: your score, the right answer and an explanation for every question, and the ones you got wrong saved in My mistakes to retry.
