Technological Advances During the Industrial Revolution
During the Industrial Revolution many changes occurred. The most important one was the change in technology and how goods were being produced because of it. Inventions such as the cotton gin, the mechanical reaper, and steam power completely transformed the speed of production and the amount of products that were produced. The industrial revolution that occurred in America almost a century ago totally transformed America’s way of living and thinking forever. The inventions and advances that took place during the industrial revolution still have an affect on America’s society today.
The Industrial Revolution was called a revolution because it changed society both significantly and rapidly. It began in Great Britain one hundred years before it reached the United States. It shifted American society into a modern industrial society, which has never been the same since. Society as a whole changed because now production went from its traditional locations at homes to workshops and factories. A majority of America’s population relocated from the rural countryside to more urban towns and cities because of all the industrialization that was occurring at the time (Encarta

The Internet and computer technology is said to be causing a new industrial revolution in America. The pace of change that it is producing will have as great an impact on society as factory processing and the steam engine during the industrial revolution. Research carried out by the Henley Center for Forecasting, suggests that the Internet is already creating effects on everyday life. The Internet is not only utilized for information or for communication it offers shopping on the Internet as well, which makes it quicker and easier. James Richardson, president of Cisco Systems, said, “ If you thought the technology bubble was about to burst, think again. Everything you ever thought possible through Internet working will pale into insignificance compared with what is to come in the next few years.” (Millar, 1999)

The sewing machine sped up the process of making clothing. Elias Howe made the first successful one in 1846 using an eye-pointed needle and an intermittent feed. After making his patent he made a fortune form his machine. Before 1850 all sewing machines were operated by hand and various devices fed the cloth. Then, American inventor A.B. Wilson devised in 1850 an automatic feed for the sewing machine. Isaac M. Singer finally brought together previous attempts into the modern machine, gave it a commercial status, and began large-scale manufacturing. Now modern sewing has been updated with attachments for hemming, tucking, quilting, embroidering, buttonholes and so on have widened the applications for the sewing machine. The incorporation of microprocessor controls has allowed domestic machines to perform the kind of highly specialized jobs that were previously only available on large-scale industrial machines (Musson, Robinson, 1969).