The Industrial Revolution: A Captivating Guide to a Period of Major Industrialization and the Introduction of the Spinning Jenny, the Cotton Gin, Electricity, and Other Inventions by Captivating History

Author:Captivating History [History, Captivating]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2020-07-20T00:00:00+00:00

Painting of Eli Whitney (left) and a modern example of an early cotton gin (right), possibly his invention. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org

The only other significant technological advance made by American inventors was the creation of the cotton gin in the 1790s. It was a rotating drum, with hooks and brushes, which pulled cotton fibers through a mesh, removing its seeds. Its creation is sometimes attributed to Eli Whitney, though this remains debatable, as several American inventors worked on it at the same time. Thanks to this invention, cotton production exploded in the American South, and the US became a vital world exporter of cotton, feeding parts of the European textile industry. Despite that, initial industrialization in the United States remained dependent on foreign capital since not many Americans had enough money to start their own ventures. Thus, through much of the 19th century, industrialization in the US relied upon European investments, most notably from Great Britain. Nonetheless, when the cog of industry started rolling, the American economy boomed. This was facilitated by the fact that the northeastern United States was rich in coal and iron, making the transition to heavy industry much easier. Additionally, until the mid-19th century, the United States was relatively underpopulated, sparking increased interest in labor-saving technology among American entrepreneurs. However, with an influx of European immigrants, most notably the Irish after the potato famine of the 1840s, the lack of workers was diminished, lowering the laborers’ salaries.

Regardless of the worker conditions, the US industries and economy continued their development. The only moment when it seemed like the industrial expansion might come under threat was during the US Civil War in the 1860s. However, the war only furthered the advance of industry and the economy, as the war economy caused a boom in the arms industry, which became an important exporter in the years after the war. Somewhat simultaneously, the US companies turned toward the big business model, similar to Germany, as banks invested in the growth of businesses. As a result, companies, as well as factories, grew, and by the 1870s, some of them were wealthy enough to begin their expansion outside of the US. As big business grew, both the American public and politicians remained in favor of free enterprise, while the government actively contributed to the expansion of industry and large companies. Because of this, many companies managed to form monopolies in specific markets, more so than in any other industrial nation. Alongside industry, agriculture was also expanding by conquering new lands in the West and through the introduction of mechanization. At first, it was in the form of horse-drawn harvesting machinery. Later, steam-powered tractors came into use. With the growth of the agricultural output, the US gained another export commodity. Thus, the United States avoided the British scenario in which industrial exports were traded for food.

Besides the already mentioned industrial giants, other West European countries began their industrialization by the mid-19th century. The more notable areas were Northern Italy, Sweden, and the Netherlands, while Austro-Hungary (formerly the Habsburg Monarchy), Spain, and Southern Italy largely lagged behind.

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