Industrial Revolution

Abraham Darby Uses Coke Instead of Charcoal

1709

Abraham Darby (1678-1717) develops a method to convert a blast furnace to smelt iron ore using coke instead of the common charcoal or wood. Photo Credits: https://cdn.britannica.com/91/123891-050-1970FF62/Coke.jpg

First Successful Steam Engine

1712

Thomas Newcomen (1663-1729) builds the first successful commercial steam engine. This engine is called the "Atmospheric Steam Engine". Photo Credits: https://s3-wp-lyleprintingandp.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/17141529/4-18-rusty-iron-web-Newcomen6325.jpg

Flying Shuttle

1733

An English inventor named John Kay (1704-1779), created a machine that weaves yarn mechanically, instead of by hand. This allowed weaver to do their job much more efficiently. Photo Credits: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/PublicDomainColourPortraitOfJohnKayBorn1704.jpg/220px-PublicDomainColourPortraitOfJohnKayBorn1704.jpg

Cotton Mill

1742

Lewis Paul (Died 1759) and John Wyatt (1700-1766) opened a cotton mill in Birmingham, England and used their newly patented "Roller Spinning Machine". This mill was not profitable and soon closed. Photo Credits:

Spinning Jenny

1764

James Hargreaves (1720-1778) invents the "Spinning Jenny", which allows workers to create multiple spools of thread at the same time. Photo Credits: https://cdn.britannica.com/57/205257-050-B37A8DE1/Spinning-jenny.jpg

First Factory

1769

In 1769, Richard Arkwright patented his spinning frame then created the first true factory in Cromford, a village in England. This factory soon employed over 300 people. Photo Credits: https://www.revolutionaryplayers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2305-0-1024x694.jpg

Watts Efficient Steam Engine

1775

James Watt (1736-1819) develops an improved steam engine that allows steam to be converted. This engine is much more efficient than the one made by Newcomen. Photo Credits: https://media.sciencephoto.com/c0/45/12/84/c0451284-800px-wm.jpg

Spinning Mule

1779

Samuel Crompton (1753-1827) invents the spinning mule, which is a cross between Hargreaves’ spinning jenny and Arkwright’s water frame. Photo Credits: https://i2.wp.com/ageofrevolution.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/EB540CF6-CC01-4D1C-9AD1-9DE0470006D0.jpeg?fit=668%2C462&ssl=1

Rotary Motion Device

1781

James Watt invents a rotary motion device for his steam engine. Photo Credits: https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/v3u4sKi5CBJDGspMREjRnC-1200-80.jpg

Spread to America

1793

Samuel Slater (1768-1835) secretly immigrated to America taking information of the water-powered spinning machine. Slater then opens the first textile mil in Rhode Island. Photo Credits: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica/whomade/images/who_slater_image.jpg

Cotton Gin

1793

Eli Whitney (1765-1825) invents a cotton gin that separates the seeds from fibers. This helped to dramatically speed up the production of the raw material. Photo Credits: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Cotton_gin_EWM_2007.jpg

Steamboat

1807

Robert Fulton (1765-1815) Engineer builds the first successful steamboat, the Clermont. In 1809 he obtains a patent from the U.S. government for his steamship. Photo Credits: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Civil_War_Steamer_Sultana_tintype%2C_1865.png

Trade Unions

1824

Trade unions are legalized in Great Britain.

Stockton & Darlington Railway

1825

George Stephenson (1781-1848) builds the 25-mile long Stockton & Darlington Railway. Photo Credits: https://cdn.britannica.com/82/207582-050-4D050CF8/celebrations-Stockton-Darlington-Railway-1925.jpg

Mechanical Reaper

1831

In 1831, Cyrus McCormick (1809-1884) created the Mechanical Reaper, which was used by many farms to harvest crops mechanically. Photo Credits: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/df/c5/66/dfc5666fae6fde7e3314a1b22f54c04d.jpg

Telegraph

1837

Samuel F. B. Morse (1791-1872) His first telegraph device, a one-wire system, is introduced. Photo Credits: https://stillunfold.com/science/surprising-facts-about-first-telegraph-first-message-morse-code

500 Miles of Railroad in Britain

1838

The Liverpool and Manchester Railway is extended south to London, making 500 miles of railroad track in Great Britain. Photo Credits: https://railwaywondersoftheworld.com/wpimages/wp2d1e0c34_05_06.jpg

Sewing Machine

1851

Isaac Singer (1811-1875) develops an improved sewing machine. It is the first practical, commercially successful sewing machine and was affordable to the average American family. Photo Credits: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/96/6a/52/966a524ea4ca9625754abdd68c5edee6.jpg

Oil is Struck

1859

Edwin Drake (1819-1880) strikes oil near Titusville, Pennyslvania. Photo Credits: https://aoghs.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/drake-oil-well-AOGHS.jpg

American Railroads Expand

1869

Railroad lines meet at Promontory, Utah to complete the first continuous railroad track across the country. Photo Credits: https://www.american-rails.com/images/PromontoryMeet.jpg

Telephone

1876

Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) displays his telephone at Philadelphia’s Centennial Exhibition. Photo Credits: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Actor_portraying_Alexander_Graham_Bell_in_an_AT%26T_promotional_film_%281926%29.jpg/220px-Actor_portraying_Alexander_Graham_Bell_in_an_AT%26T_promotional_film_%281926%29.jpg

The Light Bulb

1878

Thomas Edison (1847-1931) invents the incandescent light bulb. Photo Credits: https://inteng-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/images/1045px-Carbonfilament.jpg

Electric Railroad

1879

Werner von Siemens (1816-1892) builds the first electric railroad in Berlin, Germany, Photo Credits: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Ganz_engine_Valtellina.jpg/220px-Ganz_engine_Valtellina.jpg

Electric Lighting in New York

1882

For the first time, electric lighting illuminates New York City bright. Photo Credits: https://ephemeralnewyork.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/newyorkbynightpostcard.jpg

First Automobile with Combustion Engine

1885

Karl Benz (1844-1929) creates the first automobile to run on an internal combustion engine in Germany. Photo Credits: https://cdn.britannica.com/86/127386-050-F04E8A2F/Karl-Benz-family-outing-friends-one-automobiles-1894.jpg

Nationwide Strike

1886

A nationwide strike of factory workers in the United States demands an eight-hour workday. The effects of this strike can still be seen today with the typical work hours that are still in place. Photo Credits:https://maydaylongbeach.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/8.jpg?w=620

The Diesel Engine

1892

Rudolf Diesel (1858-1913) designed a pressure-ignited heat engine named the diesel engine. It would be successfully tested in 1897. Photo Credits: https://dieselnet.com/tech/images/diesel/history/mercedes.hires.jpg

First in Flight

1903

The Wright brothers, Wilbur (1867-1912) and Orville (1871-1948), make the first successful flight in a powered aircraft in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Photo Credits: https://www.thoughtco.com/thmb/-m-hbSZJAZeHlB1qDCMTF2QkCLQ=/768x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/KittyHawk-56d259b85f9b5879cc8688c0.jpg

Mass Production of Vehicles

1908

Henry Ford (1863-1947) begins mass production of the Model-T car in America’s first assembly line. Photo Credits: https://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/media/filer_public_thumbnails/filer_public/fa/58/fa58f97b-54bb-4aa5-b231-099057c1ed84/ford-timeline-5.jpg__2000x1282_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale.jpg