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First Industrial Revolution
The First Industrial Revolution introduced many new technology and social changes. Everything went from handmade to manufactured. -
Spinning Jenny
The Spinning Jenny was invented by James Hargreaves in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire. It reduced the amount of work needed to make cloth by being able to make eight or more spools of thread at once. -
Watt Steam Engine
The Watt Steam engine powered factories and mills. It was a reliable and efficient source of power. -
Puddling
Henry Cort discovered a process called puddling which was used to make iron. It uses a hot furnace to remove impurities from iron. This then leads to the production of higher-quality iron for less money. -
Water-Powered Loom
The Water-Powered Loom was invented by Edmund Cartwright. This loom used water power to speed up the weaving process. The first factory it was installed in was located in Cromford, England. -
Industrial Working-Class
The industrial working class was expected to work 12 hours per day for 6 days a week. They experienced no job security, with little pay because there was no minimum wage. -
Industrial Factories
Industrial factories weren’t under any regulations. Because of this, there was lots of child labor, long hours, poor conditions, and machines that ran all the time. -
Samuel Slater
Samuel Slater was often known as the Father of the American Industrial Revolution. He brought knowledge of textile manufacturing from Britain to the US. He built the first successful American cotton mill in Rhode Island. -
Railroads
The Manchester to Liverpool railroad was the first inter-city railroad in the world. It was also the first railway to rely only on steam-powered locomotives. This new railroad provided jobs, lower prices, and more factories. -
Reformers
Reformers during the Industrial Revolution began advocating for workers in the factories. This included working conditions, child labor regulations, workplace safety, and living conditions. -
The Factory Act
The Factory Act was passed in 1833 to regulate child factory work. It stated that no child under 9 years of age could work. It also stated that children between 9 and 13 couldn’t work more than 9 hours a day. -
Trade Unions
Trade unions were groups of workers who were trying to protect their rights. They demanded better pay, shorter hours, and working conditions. Strikes were their most effective tool to get changes to be made. -
Karl Marx
Karl Marx was a philosopher and social theorist. He was a famous advocate for communism, and he co-wrote ‘The Communist Manifesto.’ In this book, he critiqued capitalism and advocated for the working class. -
Bessemer converter
The Bessemer Converter was invented by Henry Bessemer. The converter helps mass-produce steel. This works by blowing air through molten iron to remove carbon and pollutants. -
Second Industrial Revolution
The Second Industrial Revolution was known as the Technological Revolution. There were lots of advancements in electricity, with innovations like the telegraph and telephone. They also started the mass production of steel. -
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. The telephone allowed for faster and more widespread communication. -
Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. This positively affected the Industrial Revolution because factories added electric lighting to their rooms which meant there were longer business hours which meant more profit. -
Guglielmo Marconi
Guglielmo Marconi worked on having radio waves go across the Atlantic Ocean. This laid the foundation for the development of radio, television, and other modern wireless communications. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire led to a change in the labor code in New York. It also led to new fire safety measures. -
Henry Ford
Henry Ford was responsible for the assembly line. This made it easier to mass-produce bigger things, like cars. He introduced interchangeable parts.