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John Kay - The Flying Shuttle
In July of 1733, John Kay invented the Flying Shuttle. The purpose and primary advantage of this invention was to make the process of weaving things faster. The disadvantage of this item is that if you change warp threads often, it is more trouble than it's worth. The flying shuttle is still used today, but it also has automatic variations. -
James Hargreaves - The Spinning Jenny
In July of 1764, Hargreaves saw his daughter, Jenny, knock down the families spinning wheel and he had the idea to have several spindles working off the same spinning wheel. A pro of this invention is that the spinning wheel could spin 8 threads at once. A con of this invention is that the thread produced was coarse and lacked strength. This invention lead to the ways we produce clothing today. -
Richard Arkwright - The Water Frame
In July of 1767, Richard Arkwright created the water frame, a variation of the spinning jenny that could spin up to 128 threads at a time. A pro of this is that they could spin even more threads at a time. A con of his invention was that the threads were less fine than the spinning jenny's. -
James Watt - Watt Steam Engine
The Watt Steam Engine was the first steam engine to use a separate condenser. The advantage of this invention is that it was 2 times as efficient as the Newcomen Steam Engine. The disadvantage of this invention is that it was extremely huge and heavy. -
Samuel Crompton - The Spinning Mule
The spinning mule was a device that allowed textile fibers to be spun into yarn. The advantage of this invention was that it allowed spinning to become a large scaled factory based industry. The disadvantage of this item is that it caused mule spinners cancer from the oil used to lubricate the machine. -
Richard Trevithick - The Steam Locomotive
Trevithick was the first to successfully harness high pressure steam, and he also constructed the worlds first steam railway. This invention did lead to faster travel, however, the steam engine was dangerous and could explode at any time because of pressure issues. This invention lead to the trains we have today. -
George Stephenson - Steam Locomotive
A steam locomotive is a locomotive that produces its pulling power through a steam engine. The positive of this invention is that a steam engine could be located anywhere, because water is heated in a separate boiler to produce steam. The negative of this is that the steam engine is dangerous to use because the boiler can bust due to excessive steam pressure. This invention lead to may future type of trains, like bullet trains and subways. -
Robert Fulton - The North River Steamboat
The North River Steamboat was the first vessel to show it was viable to use steam travel for water transportation. A pro of this invention is that the ship traveled quite quickly, traveling 300 miles in 62 hours. Like the steam engine though, a disadvantage of this was how risky it was to use a steam engine. You can still see steam engine powered boats today, like in Louisiana. -
Louis Pasteur - Pasteurization
In December of 1822 Louis Pasteur realized microbes were souring his alcohol. The led to him creating pasteurization, a procedure in which you bacteria is destroyed by heating beverages and letting them cool. The pros to this are that the drinks we drink today don't have harmful bacteria roaming throughout them, however, a con is that this process also kills beneficial bacteria. Pasteurization has lead to a safer and cleaner world today. -
Henry Bessemer - Steel
Henry Bessemer was an important factor in why steel was an affordable resource. He found the first process for manufacturing steel inexpensively. A positive impact of this is that more companies could use steel for their businesses, however a con of this is that many companies who sold steel lost money. The later impact of tis is that buildings could be built taller, which led to the skyscrapers we have today. -
Thomas Edison - The Electric Lightbulb
On December 31 of 1879, Thomas Edison had his first public display of the electric light bulb. The pros of this is that you could illuminate areas without lighting a torch or having a fire, candle, etc. The cons of the electric light bulb is that it could be broken easily. It has led to all of the lights today, from the lights in our houses, to the lights behind the computer screen. -
Nikola Tesla - Alternating Current
While direct current onlyflows in one direction, Nikola Tesla discovered Alternating Current would be more effective and efficient. Alternating Current when the flow of electricity periodically reverses direction. A pro of alternating current is that it provides better lighting. A con of alternating current is that it is more expensive in cars. Alternating current has led to many great things in today's world like electric heat and street lights.
