|
A Very Brief History of the Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution refers to the period in the mid 1700's
in which significant advancements were made in the application
of our technological knowledge and discoveries. It signaled a
transition from an economy based on manual labor in agriculture
to an economy dominated by industry and machine manufacturing.
The first industrial revolution had a profound impact on modern
society. Although there is some debate surrounding the origins
of the movement, most agree that it began in Britain with the
invention of the steam engine.
The steam engine was powered by the burning of coal, which
boiled water, and created pressurized steam. This pressurized
steam was used to power industrial machinery, primarily used in
the manufacture of textiles. The second industrial revolution
merged with the first industrial revolution sometime around
1850, when the benefits of the first phase became fully
realized. The second industrial revolution was a direct product
of the wealth and technological advancements created by the
first phase.
This particular era of the industrial revolution is
characterized by the development of steam powered railways and
ships. In the early 1900's, the internal combustion engine began
to be used en masse. Although the notion of a combustion engine
had been imagined for some time, it was not fully realized until
1860 when Jean Joseph Etienne Lenoir produced his famous
gas-fired internal combustion engine. This engine type is still
by far the most popular type used in the world today.
The automotive industry played a major role in the creation of
wealth and the refinement of certain technologies. The assembly
line production model was first employed during this period.
While more and more people left the farm for the factory, their
opportunities for upward social mobility increased. People had
more work and more money, and this led to an overall increase in
the general wealth of the populace. Naturally, the automotive
became a symbol of one's wealth and social standing. These
technological advances precipitated some enormous changes in
society.
The ideas developed and realized in Western Europe and America,
spread throughout the world bringing immense social change. The
industrial revolution played a central role in the establishment
of modern city centers. This was due mainly to the influx of
agricultural workers into the areas in which the factories were
being built. The industrial revolution also had a profound
impact on the legal system of many nations, as legislation to
establish the rights of workers was introduced. Modern life
would be very different today were it not for the industrial
revolution.
About the author:
Jim Staller is interested in the history of industrial
manufacturing, with a keen focus on workplace safety. When he is
not researching the latest health and safety information, he
writes for http://www.industrial101.com - an excellent online
resource for information about Safety
Supplies, Industrial Electronics, Equipment and more.
Written by: Jim Staller
|
 |
Home
List of Articles
Recent Articles
Cyber Speed And the Speed of Thought
Cyber Speed And the Speed of Thought Copyright© 2003 The Wealth Writer eZine. Word count 498 Marketers on the Internet often overlook the fact that any potential customer arriving at their website is travelling at cyber speed or the speed of...
Lottery Winners Lose It All
You have heard it time and again. Lottery Winners lose it all and trust fund babies waste their parent's hard earned cash. In fact, up to 80% of the lottery winners in this country file bankruptcy within five years. Most of us say," That would...
Why Lottery Winners Lose it All
How to develop a million dollar mindset
Why Lottery Winners and Trust Fund Babies Lose in the End
You have heard it time and again. Lottery Winners losing it all and trust fund babies wasting their parent's hard earned cash. In fact, up to...
Visit
International Wealth Success, Inc.
for more wealth creation tips.
|
