The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain in the late eighteenth century. It soon moved to the United States where it changed the way products were made and how people worked and lived. The first part of the Industrial Revolution took place in the United States in the Northeast.
Where did the industrial revolution first start?
Many historians point to the opening of a textile mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island in 1793 as the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the United States. The factory was founded by English immigrant Samuel Slater who learned how to operate a textile mill in England. Slatro continued to right thirteen textile mills throughout the region.
The textile mills of Lowell, Massachusetts
Textile mills began to open throughout the Northeast. In Massachusetts, a businessman named Francis Lowell opened the first integrated textile mill in the United States. Unlike previous factories, Lowell's factory also wove the thread into a piece of cloth. His factory integrated all the steps for producing cloth from raw cotton in one factory.
The Lowell factory has grown into one of the largest textile centers in the United States. They mostly employed many women who were known as the "Lowell Mill Girls". By 1840, about 8,000 workers were employed in Lowell, and most of them were women.
War of 1812
The War of 1812 had an impact on the start of the Industrial Revolution in the United States. After the war, people realized that the country was highly dependent on foreign goods. They felt the United States needed to make its own goods and build better transportation.
ship
The steam engine was one of the most important new inventions of the Industrial Revolution. In 1807, Robert Fulton developed the first commercially successful steamboat. This boat can travel upstream much faster than previous forms of transportation. Steamships greatly improved the transportation of goods and people. They quickly became one of the most important drivers of the Industrial Revolution in the United States.
Erie channel
In 1825, the Erie Canal was completed between Lake Erie and the Hudson River. This opened transportation between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. This channel had a huge impact on how products were shipped in the Northeast.
The industrial revolution continues
The Industrial Revolution began in the Northeast, but eventually spread to most of the country by the early 20th century. Large cities formed around factories and new technologies improved the production of goods, transportation, and communications. The American way of life changed forever.
Interesting facts about the industrial revolution in the United States
1. When Samuel Salter moved to the United States, he actually broke laws in England that tried to prevent skilled workers from leaving the country. He was given the nickname "Traitor Salter" in England.
2. Lowell, Massachusetts became known as "Spindle City" during its heyday in the mid-19th century.
3. Francis Lowell learned about textile mills when he visited England in 1810.
4. Communication in America was changed when Samuel Morse invented the electric telegraph
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