Inventions of the Industrial Revolution

Jethro Tull: Horse-drawn Seed Drill

1701

A horse - or a person - moves the seed drill, and the drill is able to position seeds and bury them in the ground.

Thomas Newcomen: Steam Engine

1712

This steam engine used condensed steam to create a vacuum that could pump water out of mines.

James Hargreaves: Spinning Jenny

1764

Thread was spun onto eight spindles, allowing the operator to spin eight threads at once.

Jeremy Bentham: Utilitarianism

1776

Utilitarianism is a philosophical theory that promotes actions that would benefit the majority instead of just the individual.

Samuel Crompton: Spinning Mule

1779

This invention allowed for the manufacture of thread; it could spin fine or coarse thread, and it was able to work more than 1,000 threads at the same time.

Henry Cort: The Puddling Process

1784

This process converted pig iron to wrought iron by heating and frequently stirring it in a furnace in the presence of different oxidizing substances.

Nicolas LeBlanc: Method of making Soda Ash from Salt

1790

In this method, LeBlanc reacted salt with sulfuric acid, and he then added limestone and charcoal to the product in order to create calcium sulfide, carbon dioxide, and soda ash.

Alessandro Volta: Electric Battery

1800

This battery was a source of electric current; it allowed scientists to study electricity better than they had previously.

Robert Fulton: First Successful Steamboat

1807

The steamboat used steam engines to push its pistons; the steamboat was used to transport passengers from place to place.

George Stephenson: Locomotive

1814

Combining tramways and steam engines, Stephenson created the first locomotive; it was first used to transport coal and other goods relatively quickly.

Elias Howe: Sewing Machine

1846

With a needle by a vibrating arm, the sewing machine could fix/make clothes and blankets much faster than people could by hand.

Cyrus Field: Transatlantic Cable

1858

This cable allowed countries to communicate via telegraph more quickly than they were previously able to; it decreased communication time between North America and Europe from days to mere minutes.