The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain for several key reasons: it had a large population and workforce, capital to invest, natural resources like coal and iron, and colonies that provided markets. Several important inventions drove the revolution, including James Watt's improved steam engine in 1775 and Edmund Cartwright's water-powered loom in 1785. This led to the establishment of factories near resources like coal, iron, and water for power. The revolution transformed society and living/working conditions, and new social classes like the middle and working classes emerged.