Origins of Industry
To understand industry and its impact on human development, especially now, we have to look back to the origins of industry. Prior to what will be known as the Industrial Revolution. Note that many historians and geographers will split this time period into the First Industrial Revolution (roughly 1760-1840) and Second Industrial Revolution (roughly 1870-1914), however, we will combine the two into just "Industrial Revolution" for easier organization.
Prior to the Industrial Revolution, most of the leading countries in manufacturing were in a system called the "Cottage Industry" system. This simply means that manufacturing did not come from factories, but either from the home (simple tool making) or locally through villages or towns (larger equipment, generally agricultural equipment).
There are several inventions that helped to begin the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom in the early 1800s. The power loom, a mechanized loom system helped to speed the process of textiles, advances in the process for iron making (including the Bessemer Process), and arguably the most important, the steam engine invented by James Watt. With these inventions, more efficient, cheaper, and mass quantities of goods would help to propel mankind into a new age. In the early age of the Industrial Revolution, the United Kingdom and Western Europe were producing close to 80% of all industrial output. Here are some industries that developed greatly due to the Industrial Revolution.
Coal: Used as the primary fuel source for making iron as opposed to wood. Also used in steam engines and ovens. Later, used to make coke which is more combustible than regular coal.
Iron: Greatly affected by the steam engine that could be used to heat iron at the levels and duration needed for use in all sorts of equipment and parts.
Textiles: Spinning frames used in the textile mills would separate and untangle cotton quicker and more efficiently to create more textiles for local use or for export.
Food: With the increase need for factories, workers moved from farms for jobs meaning farms could no longer supply workers at a sufficient level due to quantity or without proper care during transportation. Canning will solve much of this problem especially when combined with mechanized equipment.
Transportation: For diffusion of raw and manufacturing purposes alone, the railroad cannot be overlooked by any measure. The connection of cities to resources, or rather, from raw resource areas to manufacturing areas, would greatly increase production and commerce of all of these goods.
Communication: The invention of telegraphy through cables by Claude Chappe and then improved in America by Samuel Morse, would now relay communications in minutes or seconds instead of days or weeks. This "mechanical internet" would be one of the hallmarks of the Industrial Revolution.
Prior to the Industrial Revolution, most of the leading countries in manufacturing were in a system called the "Cottage Industry" system. This simply means that manufacturing did not come from factories, but either from the home (simple tool making) or locally through villages or towns (larger equipment, generally agricultural equipment).
There are several inventions that helped to begin the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom in the early 1800s. The power loom, a mechanized loom system helped to speed the process of textiles, advances in the process for iron making (including the Bessemer Process), and arguably the most important, the steam engine invented by James Watt. With these inventions, more efficient, cheaper, and mass quantities of goods would help to propel mankind into a new age. In the early age of the Industrial Revolution, the United Kingdom and Western Europe were producing close to 80% of all industrial output. Here are some industries that developed greatly due to the Industrial Revolution.
Coal: Used as the primary fuel source for making iron as opposed to wood. Also used in steam engines and ovens. Later, used to make coke which is more combustible than regular coal.
Iron: Greatly affected by the steam engine that could be used to heat iron at the levels and duration needed for use in all sorts of equipment and parts.
Textiles: Spinning frames used in the textile mills would separate and untangle cotton quicker and more efficiently to create more textiles for local use or for export.
Food: With the increase need for factories, workers moved from farms for jobs meaning farms could no longer supply workers at a sufficient level due to quantity or without proper care during transportation. Canning will solve much of this problem especially when combined with mechanized equipment.
Transportation: For diffusion of raw and manufacturing purposes alone, the railroad cannot be overlooked by any measure. The connection of cities to resources, or rather, from raw resource areas to manufacturing areas, would greatly increase production and commerce of all of these goods.
Communication: The invention of telegraphy through cables by Claude Chappe and then improved in America by Samuel Morse, would now relay communications in minutes or seconds instead of days or weeks. This "mechanical internet" would be one of the hallmarks of the Industrial Revolution.
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