Industrial Revolution

Seed Drill

1700

Jethro Tull invented the seed drill in 1700. Seeds used to be sewed by hand and scattered in fields. The seed drill was used to plant more efficiently by sowing seeds mechanically and then burying them in soil.

Newcomen Atmospheric Engine

1712

Thomas Newcomen invented the Newcomen Atmospheric Engine in 1712. The engine pumped water using a vacuum created by condensed steam. The engine was used for things like draining water from mines.

Flying Shuttle

1733

John Kay invented the Flying Shuttle in 1733. The flying shuttle allowed weavers to weave wider fabrics.

Spinning Jenny

1764

James Hargreaves invented the spinning jenny in 1764. The spinning jenny allowed for 8 threads to be spun at once.

Water Frame

1769

Richard Arkwright invented the water frame in 1769. The water frame spun thousands of cotton threads at once. It used water as its power source.

Watt Steam Engine

1776

James Watt invented the Watt steam engine in 1776. The watt steam engine improved the efficiency of the Newcomen Engine. The watt steam engine required less coal and was smaller.

Fulton Steamboat

1787

Robert Fulton invented the Fulton steamboat in 1787. The steam boat was the first functioning steam boat and was used to transport people pand down rivers.

Wool Combing Machine

1790

Edmund Cartwright invented the woolcobing machine in 1790. It was used to arrange and lay wool fibers parallel by length.

Cotton Gin

1793

Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1793. This machine was used to speed up the process of removing seeds from cotton fiber.

Electric Battery

1800

Alessandro Volta invented the electric battery in 1800. It is used to power electrical devices.

Sewing Machine

1845

Elias Howe invented the sewing machine in 1845. The sewing machine was used to sew fabric and other materials together with thread.

Atlantic Telegraph

1858

Cyrus Field invented the Atlantic Telegraph in 1858. It was used for telegraph communications across seas.