The Beginnings of Industrialization
I can explain how the industrial age began in Great
Britain and describe the key inventions that made
it possible.
Unit 7: The Industrial Revolution
(1700 – 1900)
The Beginnings of Industrialization
The Industrial Revolution started in England, and soon spread to other
countries.
Agricultural Revolution
• Enclosures- large farms that were enclosed by
fences or hedges.
– The wealthy land owners would buy up all the
land, and force the small scale farmers to become
their tenants (renters who paid to farm the land).
• Allowed for experimentation in farming in the
areas of seeding and harvesting crops.
Enclosures in England
• Crop Rotation- became a popular
method used by farmers and
replaced the 3 field system.
• Livestock like Robert Blakewell
(sheep went from 18 to 50 lbs.
avg.)breeders started breeding
only the best of their herds.
• Farming methods were changing,
because of new inventions.
• In 1701, Jethro Tull, invented the
seed drill- device which allowed
farmers to sow their seeds with
precision in well spaced rows.
Why Did Industrialization Begin in England?
• Industrialization- move to machine production of
goods instead of by hand.
• Natural Resources: Why are these important?
– Coal
– Iron
– Rivers
– Harbors
• Expanding economy, thanks to new technology,
farming, and a banking system that gave loans for
investment.
• All the factors of production: land, labor, capital
were available in England and they were stable.
Inventions Spur Industrialization
• Clothing industry (Textiles) was
the first to be transformed.
• One invention lead to another.
• John Kay- invented the flying
shuttle in 1733 – output
doubled.
• In 1764, a textile worker named
James Hargreaves invented the
spinning wheel called the
“Spinning Jenny.” 1 spinner
could work 8 threads at a time.
• In 1769, Richard Arkwright
invented the water frame. It
used water from streams as
power
• In 1779, Samuel Crompton,
combined the spinning
wheel, and the water frame
to create the spinning mule.
• In 1787, Edmund Cartwright
invented the power loom,
and this greatly sped up the
process of weaving.
• The invention of these huge
machines lead to factories.
Spinning mule
Cotton
• Most of England’s cotton came
from plantations in the American
South.
• In 1793, an American inventor
named Eli Whitney invented the
Cotton Gin to speed up removing
seeds from raw cotton.
• Cotton production in the U.S.
went from 1.5 M lbs. (1790) to 85
M lbs. (1810)
Improvements in Transportation
• Steam powered pumps were used as early as
1705 in the mining industry.
• James Watt found a way to make a better
steam engine in Scotland in 1765.
• In 1774 Watt teamed up with Matthew
Boulton who was an entrepreneur.
• Entrepreneur- a person who organizes,
manages, and takes on the risks of business.
Water Transportation
• Steam could propel boats.
• Robert Fulton, an American
inventor ordered a steam
engine from Boulton and Watt.
• 1807 – Clermont – the first
steam boat; ran as a ferry on
NY’s Hudson River
• Canals were created in England
for the use of water
transportation.
Road Transportation
• John McAdam improved
England’s roads which had
deteriorated since Roman
times.
• “Macadam Rds.” used large
stones for drainage topped
with crushed gravel.
• Turnpikes or “toll” roads
became more popular.
• People were starting to
travel much more which
lead to railways &
locomotives.
The Railway Age Begins
• After the 1820s, the steam
powered locomotive was the
driving force behind industry in
England.
• 1804-Richard Trevithick hauled
ten tons of iron over ten miles
of track on $1,000 bet.
• George Stephenson- built the
first railroad in 1821-1825; 27
miles long from the Yorkshire
coal fields to Stockton on the
North Sea. It used 4 engines
that he personally built.
The Rocket
• LiverpoolManchester RR
opened in 1830
• Stephenson’s
“Rocket” was
chosen as the best
to use on the line
• It hauled a 13-ton
load at 24 MPH!
Railroads Revolutionize Life in Britain
• 4 Major Effects on Life in Britain:
– Spurred Industrial Growth
– Hundreds of thousands of new jobs
– Boosted England’s agricultural and fishing
industries
– People in the country started taking city jobs and
tourism improved because travel was much easier
Exit Slip – Beginnings of Industrialization
1. The industrial age began in __________.
2. The ________ industry was the first to be
technologically transformed by new
inventions like the flying shuttle and power
loom.
3. By the early 1800s, both transportation by
water and over land were transformed by
_________ power.
4. What was George Stephenson’s “Rocket?”