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Period: to
50 of the most significant events
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Population of England and Wales
The population of Engalnd and Wales was around 5.5 million people. By 1900, this figure was around 32.5 million. -
Highland Clearances
Between 1750 and 1850, over 25000 Scots were forced from their homes in the Highlands of Scotland by landowners wanting to enclose the land. This process became know as the 'Highland Clearances'. These farmers were left homelessand without the ability to grow their own food. -
Canals
Over 100 canals were dug across Britain from 1760 to 1820, linking the major rivers and creating a transport network for the transportation of food and freight. -
Spinning Jenny
"James Hargreaves" spinning jenny allows 1 worker to make 8 times the previous amount of yarn. -
Water frame
The water frame, invented by Richard Arkwright in 1768, was a spinning frame that improved on James Hargreaves invention as it could be powered by a waterwheel and produce yarns of any type. -
The Continent of Australia
The Continent of Australia claimed in the name of the British Crown by Captain James Cook. -
Steam engine
James Watt creates an efficient steam engine. -
Declaration of Independance
Declaration of Independance of the American colonies from Britain; end of convict transportation to American colonies. -
Steam-powered mills
Steam-powered mills with automatic weaving machines begin to be built. -
Crompton's mule
Crompton's mule was invented by Samuel Crompton by combining the spinning jenny's carriage and the water frame rollers. It allowed a single power source to spin mulitple machines. -
The elements
Scientists created the first ever table of chemical elements. -
USA
The United States of America established. -
Large scale iron production
Iron producer Henry Cort was able to combine 2 processes known as 'puddling' and 'rolling', which made the large-scale production of pig iron possible. -
Convicts
The first ever convict settlement established in New South Wales after the arrival of the First Fleet. -
Coal gas
Inventor Willaim Murdoch uses coal gas for house lighting. -
Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney invents the cotton gin [engine], which can clean large quantities of raw cotton. -
Steam locomotive
The first steam locomotive was built by English engineer Richard Threvithick. -
World population
The world population reached approximately 1 billion people. At the current rate now it will exceed 8 billion by 2027. -
African slaves
The importation of African slaves to the USA banned. -
Steamship
The first commercial steamship was developed by an American names Robert Fulton in 1807. -
Violence because of the Industrial Revolution
The first violent reaction to the Industrial Revolution occured in Britain, lasting until 1815, in which workers smashed up factories and equipment in protest, fearing machines would replace them. These people became known as Luddites. -
Steam-powered train
George Stephanson's locomotive Blucher was the first successful steam-powered train. It was completed and tested on the Cillingwood Railway. -
Electronic motor
Michael Faraday demonstrates the principle of an electrical motor. -
Tunnel
Isambard Bunel starts building a tunnel under the Thames River; work is completed in 1842. -
The worlds first railway
The worlds first railway line was built between the coalfields in Darlington and the seaport of Stockton in North-East England. -
Laws regulating factories
It was not until the 1830s when certain politicians, concerned about the working conditions that had devoloped as a result of industrialisation, began introducing laws to regulate the factories in terms of conditions like the use of child labour and the length of the workday. -
Mill workers
Most of the 250000 mill workers in Britain were still under the age of 18. -
Londons toxic river
The river by London Bridge was toxic to fish but was still used to provide drinking water for people. This led to four serious outbreaks of cholera betweeen 1831 and 1866. -
Unions
The largest union was the Grand National Consolidated Trades Union, established by a mill owner, Robert Own. Unlike many other mill owners, Owen supported the welfare of his workers. He abolished child labour in his mills [for those under the age of 10] -
The poor law
The British Parliment attempted to deal with changing social and economic conditions by reforming the 233-year old Poor Law. -
People's charter
A group of reformists published a People's Charter written as a bill that could be presented to Parliment, demanding a better life for people through the use of parlimentary change. -
SS Archimedes
The worlds first screw-propelled steamship, SS Archimedes is built in Great Britain. -
Fertilizers
By the 1840s, fertilizers were widely used, once again raising the productivitiy of the land. -
Work hours
Women in factories were restricted to a ten-hour day, which effectively reduced many of the men's hours as well. -
Larger than rural population
Britain had become the first nation in history to have a larger urban than rural population. -
First motorcycle
The worlds first motorcycle was built by Gottieb Daimler. -
Telegraph
All Australian capital cities were all linked by telegraph. This, together with new undersea cables, provided an instant communication channel between Australia, Britain and Europe for the first time. -
Skyscrapers
Bulk steel creation is made possible throught the open-hearth process created by Siemens-Martin; the use of steel combined reinforced concrete enables the construction of skyscrapers. -
London's underground
The opening of London's underground railway network encouraged more people to use public transport to move between their homes in the suburbs and work. -
Transatlantic telegraph
First transatlantic telegraph cable laid. -
Ability to create skyscrapers
The ability to create skyscrapers allowed for even denser retail and office areas in city centers, where land was more expensive. -
Acoustic telegraph
Alexander Graham Bell patents his 'acoustic telegraph' or telephone. -
Electric power stations
Electric power stations were built in the 1880s and they offered an alternative to steam engines for driving machines and gas for lighting. -
New laws
At the start of the 19th century, few poor people recieved education, in 1880 a new law made primary school compulsory for all children. -
First skyscraper
The first 10-storey skyscraper is built in Chicago and the longest suspension bridge at this time, the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, is completed. -
Steam turbine
Charles Parsons invented the steam turbine, which allowed for a greater speed of rotation by forcing a blast of steam along a tube, turning a rotor at great speed. -
Automobile
Karl Benz uses an internal-combustion engine in the first 'automobile'. -
Fourth Railway Bridge
The Fourth Railway Bridge was completed, it then became the longest bridge of its kind. -
Underground sewerage system
An Underground sewerage system and a treatment plant at Werribee was opened in 1898, This treatment plant still operates today.