Key Points in the Industrial Revolution By sarah.barker.02 Mar 10, 1712 Thomas Newcomen built the first steam engine http://science.howstuffworks.com/steam-technology2.htm' >Steam Technology</a> Mar 10, 1761 Britain’s first canal was opened Mar 13, 1771 The first cotton spinning factory was opened Cotton Spinning Mar 10, 1779 The first steam powered mill began operation Mar 13, 1782 Matthew Boulton and James Watt patented the first rotary steam engine Rotary Steam Engine Mar 10, 1811 The ‘Luddites’ began to destroy machines Mar 10, 1825 Britain’s first passenger steam railway was opened Mar 10, 1831 The first great cholera epidemic Mar 10, 1833 Slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire Mar 10, 1834 Henry Fox Talbot produced the first photograph Mar 10, 1876 Telephone invented Mar 10, 1879 Thomas Edison invents the lightbulb Mar 10, 1880 Compulsory education for all children is introduced Mar 13, 1883 First skyscraper was built in Chicago Mar 13, 1885 Karl Benz invented the first automobile Automobile Mar 13, 1888 Heinrich Hertz produced radio waves Mar 13, 1889 Wireless radio invented Mar 13, 1903 Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first powered flight Mar 13, 1914 Outbreak of World War I Outbreak of world war 1
