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Technological Advancements between 1700 and 1850
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1701: Jethro Tull invents the Seed Drill (Part 1)
In 1701, Jethro Tull invented the horse drawn seed drill. The new seed drill planted seeds in the ground instead of on top of the soil which would make germination more fruitful. By planting the seeds in the ground instead of on top of the soil, birds and other animals had less of a chance to eat those seeds (McCarty). The new seed drill saved time for the farmers as they didn't have to plant them by hand. -
1701: Jethro Tull invents the Seed Drill (Part 2)
Instead of only one row being planted at a time, the seed drill planted three rows at a time, and that saved the farmers money. The seeds were being planted in the ground, not on top of the soil and more of them were actually sprouting. Tull stated “It was named a drill because when farmers used to sow their beans and peas into channels or furrows by hand, they called that action drilling (Ricci).
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1733: John Kay invents the Flying Shuttle and Revolutionizes the Cotton and Weaving Industry (Part 1)
In 1733, John Kay invented the flying shuttle, which made weaving cotton much faster and less labor-intensive (Harling, John Kay). It allowed yarn to be inserted at a faster rate and that increased the yield of the weavers. It also allowed for more yarn to be used at one time, and that also allowed for faster weaving (Smith). -
1733: John Kay invents the Flying Shuttle and Revolutionizes the Cotton and Weaving Industry (Part 2)
The weaver would move the 'picking peg' from side to side, and as it moved from side to side the shuttle would fly across the loom and that allowed for a faster weaving process. fly shuttle weaving -
1765: James Hargreaves invents the Spinning Jenny
In 1765, James Hargreaves, a handloom weaver who lived in Lancashire, invented the Spinning Jenny. It was his most notable invention. He wanted to streamline the production of cloth made from cotton. The Spinning Jenny took the original spinning wheel and turned it 90 degrees into a horizontal position (Harling, James Hargreaves). This new position made it so that multiple spindles could be spun at once and that not only increased production, but made it things faster as well. -
1776: James Watt's Invents One of the Most Important Inventions of the Industrial Revolution, the Steam Engine! (Part 1)
In 1776, James Watt's improved upon the Newcomen engine and invented the steam engine (Start Your Engines). The steam engine is considered to be one of the most important inventions of the Industrial Revolution and has been used many times over (McCarty). The steam engine was used to harvest the land that used to be filled with water. It may have been mines or lakes. It made it easier for people as they didn't have to do everything by hand and it also heavily increased production (Crookes). -
1776: James Watt's Invents One of the Most Important Inventions of the Industrial Revolution, the Steam Engine! (Part 2)
The steam engine was obviously, powered by steam. The heat from the engine made steam from the water and that would create a vacuum. The vacuum would then pull the piston up and down, which moved the wheels and created energy. That is basically how the engine worked (Lira). James Watt Steam Engine Animation -
1785-1789: More Advancements in the Cotton and Weaving Industries (Part 1)
In 1785, Edmund Cartwright invented the power loom. His first attempt was a failure, but those that came after were more successful and were used in weaving mills (McCarty). He used the steam engine to power the looms in his mill. The power loom sped up the process of weaving and made it a more consolidated system. But with success comes tragedy. Even though he sped up the process and accuracy of weaving, he put many people out of work (Inventor of the Week) -
1785-1789: More Advancements in the Cotton and Weaving Industries (Part 2)
In 1789, Richard Cartwright and John Kay invented the water frame. In 1790, almost 10 times more cotten yarn was made (McCarty). It had a wooden frame with bobbins, spindles and rollers all mounted on it. The water frame could make almost 100 times more yarn in an hour than a person could have. That led to many people losing their jobs because they were being replaced by machines (Of Men and Machines).arkwright and water frame -
1791: Eli Whitney Patents the Cotton Gin
Learning About the Cotton Gin In 1791, a slave invented the cotton gin and Eli Whitney patented it. Even though he didn't invent it, he got the glory and recognition. The cotton gin was used to seperate and strengthen cotton fibers (McCarty). It also more than doubled the production of cotton. Even though the cotton gin reduced the need for workers, it upped the need for slaves to harvest the cotton. That is one reason there were slave states and why some people did not want to abolish slavery (Schur). -
1829: First Steam Locomotive (Part 2)
Some old steam locomotives (1826-1930)A good description of how the original steam locomotives were put together comes from Kevin Frascas article on steam engines. He states "The design was very simple, and utilized simple thermodynamic principles. The pistons in the engine were connected to walking beams mounted above the boiler. A driving rod was then connected to both the front and rear axles, which was how the locomotive utilized the steam engine to produce motion by turning the wheels (Frasca)." -
1829: First Steam Locomotive (Part 1)
The first prototype of a steam locomotive was built by William Murdoch in 1784. Nothing much came from it until 1829 when steam locomotives started being produced. One of the first was the Baltimore and Ohio Railroads'd Tom Thumb. It was only intended as a demonstration, but it was also the first to run in America and it started gaining attention from then on (McCarty). The steam locomotives utilized the steam engine as their source of power.
