Industrial revolution :: essays research papers

industrial whirling (Extra Credit)The era known as the Industrial Revolution was a period in which essential changes occurred in agriculture, textile, metal manufacture, transportation, economic policies and the social structure in England. This period is appropriately labeled revolution, for it thoroughly changed the old manner of doing things and bringing up reinvigorated techniques. Constantly improving the ways in which things were made, which had effects of cutting costs and improving quality and efficiency was revolutionary about the era. The changes that occurred during this period occurred gradually. Industrial Revolution did not happen suddenly it happened spread out the centuries. It wasnt only inventions but mostly improvement and new techniques to present inventions. Advances in agricultural techniques and practices resulted in an increased supply of food and cranky materials, changes in industrial organization and new technology resulted in increased production, eff iciency and profits, and the increase in commerce, overseas and domestic, were all conditions which promoted the advent of the Industrial Revolution. The alter yield of the agricultural sector can be attributed to the enclosure movement and to improved techniques and practices developed during this period. A everyday practice in early agriculture was to allow the land to lie fallow after it had been exhausted through cultivation. Later it was discovered that the cultivation of clover and other legumes would help to restore the fertility of the soil. Prior to 1760 the manufacture of textiles occurred in the homes, by people who gave part of their time to it. It was a tedious process from raw material to finished product. Many of the stages of production were performed by women and children. The supply of raw material for the woolen industry was obtained domestically. In the cases of silk and cotton, the raw materials were obtained from foreign sources, such as, China, the westmo st Indies, North American and Africa. John Kays flying-shuttle, which enabled one weaver to do the work of two, and Richard Arkwrights roller spinner, which was to make spinning more efficient and jam Hargreaves jenny, a device which enabled the operator to simultaneously spin dozens of threads, was readily adopted. Arkwright and others developed the water frame. Coal was the one of the most important material during Industrial Revolution. It was the black gold of the eighteenth century. Underground mining was extremely dangerous and risky. Improvements in coal mining came in the form of improved tunnel ventilation, improved underground and surface transportation, and the use of gunpowder to blast away at the coal seams, and improved tunnel illumination through the use of lamps.