-
Spinning Jenny - Textiles
Spinning Jenny
1764
James Hargreaves
A machine that allows people to make yarn and clothing faster.
Cotton Dust Can Cause Breathing Problems. -
James Watt Improves the Steam Engine
James Watt (19 January 1736 – 25 August 1819) played a major role in the Industrial Revolution. He made the steam engine, which had been around for over a hundred years at the time, much more efficient and much more practical. The Newcomen steam engine was used for many things, such as pumping water from mines and powering machines far inland that used to run on water power. One disadvantage of the steamboat is that the steam engine would accumulate too much pressure and explode. -
The Cotton Gin
The cotton gin was invented in 1794 by Eli Whitney. It separated the useful cotton fibers from the cotton seeds automatically. It dramatically increased the production of cotton and cotton related goods and decreased the need for slaves to separate out cotton from seeds. The negative effects of the "cotton gin" was that it made the need for slaves greatly increase, and the number of slave states shot up. -
The Telegraph
In 1836 Samual F. B. Morse developed a telegraph which could transmit signals a very long way using cheap wires. Other telegraphs had been developed in the past, but Morse's was the first one to be practical. The telegram had major effects on society as messages could now be sent between countries instantly and modern communication was born. A serious drawback of telegraph devices was that they lacked quality in communication. -
The Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell first patented the telephone in 1876. A telephone is a device used to transmit speech instantaneously to another telephone. The telephone, similar to the telegraph, was a very important way to transmit the information as quickly as possible. People didn't have to type out each letter individually which made communication much faster Unfortunately some people could hear the private conversations that people share if the phone is connected to more than one household -
Edison's Lightbulb
Thomas Edison invented the first practical, long-lasting incandescent lightbulb. . Edison's lightbulb caused major changes to life back in the late 1800s. People could now stay up later at night, go out at night, and stop using candles. In addition to that, lightbulbs are much safer than candles because there is no exposed heating element. The main disadvantages of incandescent bulbs are that they cost a lot of money to use and maintain -
Effective use of Electricity
During the late 1700s, people were beginning to do research into electrical charges. It wasn't until the late 1800's that electricity became widely available for lighting and as a power source for various machines. However, electricity had remained one of, if not the largest, source of power we consume throughout the 20th century and into the 21st century. Power plants that burn biomass release sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, two undesirable pollutants, into the air. -
The Electric Motor
Nikola Tesla invented the AC electric motor in 1887. He was able to successfully and practically turn electricity into mechanical power. Electric motors were a lot smaller and cheaper than the former steam engines that factories and other machines had run on and began to replace them. They could also be used inside of machines so that those machines could run completely independently of an engine. Disadvantages include lower efficiency due to a need for magnetization. -
The First Airplanes
Orville and Wilbur Wright built the first powered vehicle to fly. Their flight was only 120 feet but is the most important fight of all time. The flight didn't actually accomplish anything other than moving Orville a little bit down a field but allowed other flights to occur afterward, effectively giving birth to aviation. A major consequence was that in the early days of the airplane's wing design was not as advanced as today. The wings were shaped not as well and caused many airplane crashes. -
The Assembly Line
The technique of using an assembly line to manufacture goods was pioneered in 1913 by Henry Ford. The main purpose of an assembly line is to produce as much of a product as you can in a given amount of time. Because Henry Ford could produce cars quickly and efficiently, he could sell them really cheaply and created "The common man's car." One of the main disadvantages to assembly line production is its inability to control waste and financial loss within the assembly line.
