Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

The historian's claim is not fully justified. While factories and mechanised industries were prominent, evidence shows they did not define the entire British economy in the mid-nineteenth century.

Against the claim:

• Less than 20% of the total workforce was employed in technologically advanced industrial sectors even by the end of the 19th century.
• The typical mid-nineteenth century worker was not a machine operator but a traditional craftsperson or labourer.
• A large portion of textile output was produced in domestic units, not factories.
• Steam engines were slow to be adopted — only 321 existed in all of England at the start of the 19th century.
• Traditional industries like food processing, pottery, furniture, and glasswork grew through small innovations, not factory machinery.

Supporting the claim:

• Cotton and metals were dynamic leading sectors, and iron and steel exports reached £77 million by 1873.

Thus, the factory was important but not the defining feature of the mid-nineteenth century British economy.

Source: Chapter 4, Section 1.2 – The Pace of Industrial Change

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Examiners expect you to assess (agree and disagree with evidence), not just describe. Key move: cite the "less than 20% workforce" statistic and the "typical worker was a craftsperson" historian's conclusion directly from the passage — these directly challenge the claim. Balance with one point supporting it (cotton/iron exports) to show genuine assessment. Avoid padding; every sentence should carry evidence or argument.