In England, Abraham Darby developed the coking process in the early 1700s which advanced metallurgy and iron production.

In the 1730s in England… Thomas Newcomen developed the first working steam engine for pumping water out of mines. It wasn’t terribly efficient but better than animal or wind powered pumps.

This bridge across the Severn river in Shropshire, England was the first iron bridge in the world. (1781)

Coking processes are still in use today.

The spinning Jenny was developed by James Hargreaves in 1765; together with automated weaving machines, the textile factory was fast becoming a place of automation and dramatically improved productivity.

Drawing of a factory for textile (cotton cloth) production c. 1770. Water driven, but on the cusp of turning to the steam engine as a power source for the drive shafts above the machines. Notice the workers.

A ‘Crompton mule’ from a textile factory in England, c. 1780 This device will become steam engine driven and help revolutionize the production of textiles.

The late 1700s and early 1800s was the age of canal building in Britain, on the continent, and in North America too. Massive increases in production rates from farms, and from new factories meant there was new demand for cheaper transportation.

A factory from 1800 that is still preserved to function and demonstrate the machine age of industrial revolution.

The Watt steam engine developed in the 1770s and which became a commercial success by the 1780s – 1840s and which dramatically increased production in many industries.

An early application of the steam engine by American James Fulton to ship building. This boat was the first steam engine powered boat to navigate up the Hudson river from New York City to Albany, NY in 1807.

Robert Trevithick in 1801 developed the first working steam engine on rails. Later, the Trevithick invention was improved in the 1820s by George Stephenson who is depicted here in 1830. This engine was called the Rocket.

Drawing of the opening of the Manchester to Liverpool Railway line I n 1830.

Telegraphic equipment invented in the United States in the 1830s was placed along rail lines. The first city to city ‘instant’ (electric) communication for commercial use was between Washington DC and Baltimore in 1844.

Steam powered warship from 1844.

The Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, London, opened in 1851 and celebrated the Industrial Revolution as well as manufactured and luxury goods from around the world. This was the first world’s fair.

Inside the Great Hall of the Great Exhibition. Notice the rooms dedicated to different countries. Thousands visited and the exhibition was considered a great success at promoting both British industry and empire.

Notice the flags down this part of the interior of the Great Hall.

Singer sewing machine. First iteration of the machine depicted here – 1851.

Photograph from western Maryland coal mine c. 1900 Boys as young as seven employed as ‘pickers’. Their job was to sort the coal fragments into sizes on a moving metal conveyor belt.