-
The unification of England and Scotland happened in 1707, which led to a period of peace in the region. There were no borders or tariffs between both countries, which caused trade to become easier. These two combined into creating a perfect environment in starting an industrial revolution. -
The spinning jenny was invented by James Hargreaves in Stanhill, England. This was a breakthrough in the textile industry. -
Richard Arkwright invented the spinning frame. It was more efficient that the spinning jenny, as the yarn produced was stronger. -
James Watt invented the Watt Steam Engine. This was a big leap in the industrial field, as steam engines could provide much more energy than turbines or water wheels. -
A hybrid of the spinning jenny and the water frame was introduced by Samuel Crompton. He called it the spinning mule. -
New Lanark Mills was founded by David Yale. It produced cotton textiles using the technology of Richard Arkwright’s water-power spinning frame. It was built on the Clyde River, which was the source of its energy. It started producing textile in the following year. -
The free trade agreement was signed between England and France, which promoted trade and helped England advance in the textile industry and start exporting their products. -
Scottish chemist Charles Tennant developed bleach powder. This dramatically decreased the time needed for the bleaching process in the textile industry. The old method took months, the new method only took a few days. -
The first appearance of the luddites. These people were radicals that opposed industrialization, as they thought it was stripping them from job opportunities. They claimed to have a leader named Ned Ludd, but most sources say that he was a fictional character. -
By now, there were no laborers in the cotton industry. All of them were replaced by steam-powered looms. Most historians mark this point as the start of the industrial revolution. -
Joseph Aspdin mixed clay and limestone at a high temperature, grinded into fine powder, mixed it with water, gravel and sand. This process was the invention of cement. -
George Stephenson built the first railway system that was used to transfer passengers and freight. With the help of his son’s company, Stephenson built the Stockton and Darlington Railway. -
James Beaumont Neilson invented the Hot Blast, a method that saved more fuel used in welding iron. This increased fuel efficiency to almost double the production. -
George Stephenson established himself as the “Father of Railways” by building the first inter-city railway line in the world, known as the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. -
The Chance Brothers developed a new method of producing glass, known as the cylinder process. They were pioneers in the glass production industry.