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Benjamin Franklin invents the lightning rod
Lightning no longer catches buildings on fire (and the electricity dissipates). This shows man beginning to have control of some aspects of nature. -
Josiah Wedgwood opens pottery factory
Pots could now be made quickly and efficiently. They were also sold for a cheaper price. -
James Hargreaves invents the spinning jenny
Now the cotton industry was mechanized and cotton could be mass produced. -
James Watt patents the steam engine
The improvement of the steam engine by James Watt made it one of the most important inventions of the Industrial Revolution because it could be used in both trains and boats. This greatly increased trade and migrations of people. -
Samuel Cromton’s spinning mule is invented
It combined the spinning jenny with the water frame rollers. It made spinning yarn much more efficient and less costly because two machines were now one. -
First iron bridge
With cast iron prices falling, new buildings and structures could be made out of the durable material. -
Eli Whitney creates the cotton gin
The cotton gin saved many workers from long hours separating the seeds. It made the cotton industry much more profitable and efficient. -
Alessandro Volta’s battery
This Italian physicist was the first to invent the wet celled battery. This invention allowed a steady and reliable stream of energy to be released from an energy source (the battery). -
The Erie Canal is completed
This allowed boats to be able to pass from the Atlantic ocean to the Great Lakes, thus promoting more trade for the United States. -
Rocket, Stephenson's Locomotive
This was the most high-tech steam powered train of its time. It won a prize for the best design because it incorporated many of the newest ideas into one locomotive. -
Samuel Colt invents revolver
It revolutionized guns. This new compact design could be carried easily and concealed. It provided people with safety and a version is still used today. -
Wheatstone and Cooke’s telegraph
This was the first electric telegraph to be put into use commercially. This marked a growing ability for people to communicate over longer distances. -
First steam ship crosses Atlantic
This started a new era and proved that steam could help accomplish a multitude of tasks. It also showed how steam ships were reliable and this caused them to be more popular. -
Samuel Slocum invents the stapler
This invention is used daily in our lives. It helps to keep things attached for a long period of time. It is a simple invention that is very important to us still today. -
Baltimore to Washington Telegraph
This was the first long distance telegraph line set up across the United States (made by Samuel Morse) and showed even more ability to communicate from longer distances. -
Crystal Palace opens
It shows the new way of building structures. Also it demonstrates how strong iron is and how good of a building material it is. -
Alexander Graham Bell Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone greatly improved communication since the time of the telegraph. Now long distance communication was much easier. -
Cash Register Invented
James Ritty and John Birch received a patent for inventing the cash register. This invention is still used today and allows businesses to keep better track of their cash. -
John Pemberton invents Coca Cola
Coca Cola is one of the most famous sodas today. Also, it helped to begin the soda making industry. -
Diesel-fueled internal combustion engine
Invented by Rudolf Diesel, the diesel engine greatly improved both travel and machinery in factories.
