BRITAIN LEADS THE WAY In the Industrial Revolution

Why Britain Britain's abundance in ports and navigable rivers which were later included in building canals, improving and simplifying trade significantly. Transport and communication to and from ports was cheap due to the increased control put in place. Masses of coal and iron attributed to the building of a strong steam engine market. Large population results in high demands, making use the nations many skilled laborers. Strong, supportive government and emphasis on capital and enterprise (shipping, mining, coal factory, etc)

The Textile Industry Advances By 1600’s Britain imports great amounts of cotton from India, to combat this dependency a putting-out system/cottage industry (peasants spin and weave raw cloth, then pass it to artisans to make the finished product) is created. Production is slow at first but this is fixed with the help of John Kay’s “flying shuttle” and Richard Arkwright’s “water frame.” Eli Whitney invents the cotton gin to help America keep up to England’s cotton industry.

The Textile Industry Advances (cont’d) Kay’s “flying shuttle” and Arkwright’s “water frame” proved to costly and large to be kept in homes right after being put out, so they were then housed into larger spaces often sheds, being powered by water and then steam engines. Each day people came in to work on the machines producing as much as possible. They were paid for their work and drew closer to each other because of the similar cause they shared.

The Transportation Revolution Entrepreneurs need faster ways of transporting goods to meet increasing demand and so they resort to establishing turnpikes or private roads in which a fee is paid by those wishing to pass. Eventually, the turnpikes linked all parts of Britain – Bridgewater Canal is built Makes profit from tolls and cuts cost of coal in Manchester. Success goads others into trying the same Bankruptcy and the invention of the steam locomotive make canals lose their importance

The Transportation Revolution (cont’d) Growth of railroads made possible by introduction of the steam locomotive. Manufacturers could have their products traveled swiftly and cheaply by land with the steam locomotive since its course was not defined by that of any rivers. Manufactures ability to produce many goods at one time and give them to their customers in relatively short time allowed for prices to fall, which in turn brought more customers to buy the products. A following wave of social and economic changes redefines the way people live.