Inventions of the Industrial Revolution Abby Westgate

By gabprocopio

  • Submarine

    Cornelius Drebbel, a Dutch inventor, invented the first submarine. It could remain underwater for a significant period of time and be steered. The submarine later was used in battles in World War II and other scientific discoveries.The submarine also inspired authors to write fictional stories such as "Leagues Under the Sea" written by Jules Verne.

  • Cotton Gin

    Invented by Eli Whitney, the Cotton Gin was a machine that harvested cotton better than human hands. It separated cotton from its seeds so that fifty pounds of cotton could be cleaned in a day as opposed to one pound a day without the Cotton Gin. However, the Cotton Gin made slavery last longer in the United States because it caused a cotton boom.

  • Typewriter

    William A. Burt invented the typewritwriter in Detroit, Michigan, in the United States. It was patented as a "writing machine." Eventually, the typewriter became a tool used in many businesses in the United States. The typewriter provided more jobs in the United States for women. Typing in an office was a safer job for women than working in a factory where their limbs could be cut off. Women began to take typing classes in order to get these jobs.

  • Sewing Machine

    Newton Wilson created the sewing machine after discovering the patent papers for a similar machine created by Thomas Saint that was never actually built. The sewing machine sewed chain stitches and was a staple in clothing factories during the Industrial Revolution because it could sew material very fast. Eventually, the domestic sewing machine was invented and could be located in homes in the later 1800s, where people used them to repair or sew their own clothes.

  • Light Bulb

    Created by Thomas Edison, the light bulb provided electrical light. The first town to be completely lit at night by Edison's light bulb was Menlo Park, New Jersey. Many people came to this area in the United States and were fascinated by the light bulb. Stock in The Edison Electric Company rose, and the light bulb inspired more electrical inventions by Thomas Edison. Also, the light bulb allowed people to work at night, making production for products go much faster.