Britain and the industrial revolution.
From 1760 to 1830, Britain experienced a period of remarkable change in industry and society (Christopher 117). Machines were taking over labour that was previously done by humans, and many lives were saved because of this. .
The Industrial Revolution originated in Britain because the country had many natural advantages over other countries, like large quantities of coal and iron, navigable rivers, natural harbours, and a temperate climate (Christopher 117). .
The population was constantly and quickly growing, providing labourers for the Industrial Revolution and Britain's foreign trade provided the Industrial Revolution with access to raw materials and markets.
The textile industry.
The Textile Industry was the first industry to undergo mechanization. The first development of the mechanization of the Textile Industry was the flying shuttle (Christopher 117). Then, in 1785, a power loom was invented by Edmund Cartwright, one of the great Industrial Revolutionary inventors, which increased the production of cotton and saved money simultaneously.
Human labour was at an all-time low during the Textile Industry.
The iron industry.
The Iron Industry was the next industry to become mechanized. Britain was in dire need of a higher quality iron, and they experimented with many things to try to create a high quality iron. When they experimented with smelting iron ore with coke, they came across many problems, so Henry Cort developed a "puddling" method which removed impurities from pig iron (Christopher 118). Later, when the use of the steam engine to flatten the pig iron was introduced, production skyrocketed and provided Britain with plenty of iron. .
The Iron Industry supplied the Industrial Revolution with building materials, military hardware, and industrial machinery. The development of railways tied coal, iron and steam together so much that they became the symbol of age.
