THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 1760 - 1840 Historical Significance An ancient Greek or Roman would have recognized daily life in Europe in the early 1700s Agriculture and technology had changed little in 2000+ years The Industrial Revolution changed human life dramatically and permanently More technological advances were made in the last 250+ years than in the previous 2500+ years of known human history DOMESTIC System Under the domestic system: A woman selected fabric and had a businessperson give it to a home-based worker to make into a dress. Factory System Replaces the domestic system of production Under the factory system: The factory owner bought large lots of fabrics and workers created multiple dresses in common sizes for women to buy. The Industrial Revolution Transportation improved Canals Ships Wooden ships → Iron ships → Steel ships Wind-powered sails → Steam-powered boilers Trains Communication improved Telegraph Canals vs Railroads Look at the map on the following slide Why are the states east of the Mississippi River shaped so oddly? Why are the states west of the Mississippi River more square shaped? RAILROADS Convict labor was utilized during the construction of the Western North Carolina Railroad. The state of North Carolina leased the convicts to the rail company, and 3,500+ men worked on the rail line; the majority were African-Americans. The work was hazardous with several men laying the rail line, grading, and the excavating tunnels. 450+ died during the railroad's construction. Each mile of track required approximately 2500 cross ties. A wooden railroad tie, which weighs 200 pounds and is nine feet long, typically lasts 40 to 70 years. total mileage: 18301840185018601870Canals1,2773,3263,698Railroads733,3288,87930,63650,000 Effects OF THE Railroad Further Industrial Growth New Jobs Boosted agriculture and fishing industries People able to take jobs in distant cities People able to travel further Transportation Revolution Robert Fulton (American)Thomas Telford & John McAdams (British)George Stephenson (English)Steamboat (1807)Macadamized roads (1810-1830)Locomotive (1825)Faster water transportation Better RoadsSped land transport of people and goods Steamboat Roads LOCOMOTIVE Thomas Edison NIKOLATESLA VS. which was a more profound discovery – Edison’s Direct Current (DC) electricity or Tesla’s Alternating Current (AC) electricity? Ultimately, the “War of Currents” may have ended in a tie, as many electronic devices still require both AC and DC technologies to work together simultaneously 24 Agricultural REVOLTUION Eli Whitney – Cotton gin (1793) – Increased cotton production Cyrus McCormick – Mechanical reaper (1834) – Increased wheat production Other inventions: Horse-drawn hay rake, threshing machine, st.