The Industrial Revolution

2 Pages 469 Words

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial revolution was a time of dramatic changes, from hand tools and handmade items, to products which were mass produced by machines. Workers became more productive with their new machines, and since more items were manufactured, prices dropped, making hard to make items available to not only the rich, but the poor also. Life improved, but the industrial revolution also caused some problems. Pollution increased, working conditions were harmful, and people employed women and young children, and made them work long and hard hours. The Industrial Revolution was a time for big changes.
The Industrial Revolution started in England around 1733 with the first cotton mill. As new inventions were being created, factories followed soon after. England wanted to keep its industrialization a secret, so they prohibited anyone who had worked in a factory to leave the country. Meanwhile, Americans offered a large reward to anyone who could build a cotton-spinning machine in the United States. Samuel Slater, who had worked in an English cotton factory, disguised himself and came to America. Once here, he reconstructed a cotton-spinning machine from what he remembered. He then went on and created a factory of his own. The Industrial Revolution had arrived in the United States.
The cotton gin was invented by Eli Whitney in1793. It was a machine for getting seeds out of cotton. Where before the seeds had to be picked by hand, slaves used the machines to significantly increase production. Later on, Whitney became quite famous for building muskets with interchangeable parts. These were the easiest and fastest guns to make. They became very popular due to their lower cost.
Another man who helped the Industrial Revolution was Robert Fulton who invented the steam engine. Robert Fulton was a famous inventor and engineer. His engine was used to power steamboats all over the United States. He built a paddle...