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Abraham Darby - Coke Smelting
Darby invented coke smelting which was a process that you would smelt iron with roasted coal rather than charcoal. This process was a major step forward and changed the course of the iron industry. It led to creating way more amounts of iron and brass. -
John Kay - Flying Shuttle
Kay invented the flying shuttle which was used for weaving. It was an important step towards automatic weaving during the Revolution. You would have to insert the weft between the warp threads on the loom. It sped up the whole entire process of the usual slow pace of hand weaving. -
Richard Arkwright - Spinning Frame
Arkwright invented the spinning frame which helped the mass production of yarn. It reduced the whole process of having to spin cotton by hand which saved a lot of time and labor. It vastly improved the textile industry during the Revolution. -
James Hargreaves - Spinning Jenny
Hargreaves invented the spinning jenny which would spin wool or cotton. It pushed the textile industry during the time of the invention. It saved so much time and it used 8 spindles onto a spun thread, which means the operator could spin 8 threads at one time. -
Samuel Crompton - Spinning Mule
Crompton invented the spinning mule which would spin an increasing amount of cotton that could be spun at one time. it permitted a long scale manufacture of high quality thread/yarn. It also caused a migration of workers from rural areas to urban centers. -
James Watt - Steam Engine
Watt invented the steam engine which would operate rotary machines in factories. It helped power the Revolution and caused more work to get done. It helped people by producing an efficient and reliable source of power. This invention led to the early steam locomotive and steam ships. -
Henry Cort - Puddling Process
Cort discovered the puddling process for making wrought iron. It was the first method that allowed quality wrought iron to be produced on a large scale. He made manufacturing iron less labor-intensive and formed more versatile/valuable material. -
Eli Whitney - Cotton Gin
Whitney created the cotton gin which would rapidly separate cotton. This invention really helped transform the american economy. It was good for the South because cotton would be produced cheaply for export with a plentiful amount. This invention even caused cotton to be America's greatest export at one time. -
Alessandro Volta - Electric Battery
Volta created an early electric battery which produced a steady electric current. Another name for this invention was the "voltaic pile". This invention helped scientists study electricity better and allowed a new development of technology powered by electricity. -
Robert Fulton - Steamboat
Fulton designed the world's first commercially successful steamboat. It helped move goods and people throughout the U.S. It led to economic advances and created more job opportunities. -
Elias Howe - Sewing Machine
Howe invented the first practical sewing machine. It helped the mass production of clothing. It also helped some women with the hours upon hours of work they had to endure. It allowed people to just make their desired clothes from home as well. -
Cyrus Field - Telegraph Cable
Field created the first transatlantic telegraph cable. This cable was used for long distance communication between boats (U.S. & Britain). Today, these cables make global internet possible which has completely changed the world.