The Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a time of rapid technological development and social and political change. Starting in 1740 and ending in 1840, the Industrial Revolution saw to the development of mass industry and in many ways, the beginning of the modern era.
The Locomotive
The locomotive, perhaps the most iconic symbol of the revolution, was built in the United Kingdom in 1804 by Richard Trevithick. Revolutionizing transportation, it allowed factories to quickly access and transfer resources. It also made long distance travel possible for everyday people, allowing some to see their countries for the first time. This helped start the Environmental movement and the Romantic movement.
The Telegraph
A massive leap in communication came with the telegraph machine, which made it possible for people to transmit messages over large distances using electricity. For the system to work, two machines were set up at different locations, called telegraph offices and would transmit messages across electrical wires. When the message was received, the machine would deliver it electromagnetically using a needle pointer. The Cooke and Wheatstone Telegraph, the first widely used model was invented in 1837.
The Spinning Jenny
The spinning jenny was a multi-spindle spinning frame and one of the key developments in the industrialization of textile manufacturing. Invented between 1764 and1765 by James Hargreaves in England, the device increased the production of cloth by allowing workers to utilize eight or more spools at a time. This grew to 120 as technology advanced, helping to start cotton factories and the advent of manufacturing.
The Sewing Machine
After the spinning Jenny the sewing machine, invented in 1790 by Thomas Saint further advanced the textile industry. The machine used a stitching awl to pierce through a material, carry a thread through a hole and move it to a new stitching location, before repeating the cycle. It was used primarily on leather and canvas, reducing the the need for hand-stitching. Later models would use a wider array of materials, making sewing a reliable and efficient process in industry.
The Cotton Gin
While the primary effect of the Industrial Revolution was economic, there were cultural and political changes as well. Eli Whitney’s cotton gin provided the first alternative to manual slave labor in the deep American South, paving the way for the Civil War and emancipation. Textile factories with the newly invented power loom changed the lives of women, who traditionally worked in sewing and could now get factory jobs.
Stock Image Gallery of the Industrial Revolution
Humanitarian and Environmental Impact
The industrial revolution also had negative impacts. As industry increased, many factory owners abused vulnerable work forces, including children. In England and Scotland in 1788, two-thirds of the workers in water-powered cotton were minors. Human inventions began to have a much greater toll on the environment as well. For the first time, the London sky turned consistently black with a mixture of fog and smoke called smog.