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Jethro Tull invents the seed drill
Jethro Tull was one of the first scientific farmers. He invented the seed drill, which allowed farmers to sow seeds in well-spaced rows at specific depths. It boosted crop yields. -
John Kay invents flying shuttle
A machinist named John Kay made a flying shuttle that sped back and forth on wheels. It is a boat shaped wood with yarn attached and it doubled the work a weaver could do in a day. It modernized the cotton industry. -
James Watt builds the first steam engine
James Watt a mathematical instrument maker, figured out a way to make the steam engine work faster and more efficiently while burning less fuel. He created the Boulton Watt. -
Marx and Engels publish The Communist Manifesto
The writings of Karl Marx introduced the world to a radical type of socialism called Marxism. Marx and Friedrich Engels outlined their ideas in The Communist Manifesto. They argued that human societies have always been divided into warring classes. They stated their belief that economic forces alone dominated society. -
US Civil War ends; US experiences technological boom
The Northeast experienced much industrial growth and the US remained primarily agricultural until the Civil War ended. The country experienced a technological boom. As in Britain, a number of causes contributed to this boom including: a wealth of natural resources, a burst of inventions, and swelling urban population that consumed new manufactured goods -
Germany becomes dominant industrial power in Europe
Germany began to copy the British model. Germany built railroads that linked its growing manufacturing cities with the Ruhr Valley’s coal and iron ore deposits. Germany’s economic strength spurred its ability to develop as a military power. Germany had become both an industrial and military giant. -
British unions win right to strike
If factory owners refused the demands, union members could strike. British unions shared goals of raising wages for their members and improving working conditions. They won the right to strike and picket. A series of successful strikes won members higher wages and shorter hours.
