STS 7: The Industrial Revolution

Industrial Age

Industrial Age

A period marked by the first use of complex machinery, factories, and significant social changes from agricultural societies, spanning from 1750 to 1950 AD.

Artifacts of the Industrial Age

Key inventions such as the steam engine, electricity, automobile, airplane, radio, television, telephone, and rocket.

Urban Centers

Result of the Industrial Age, leading to population expansion and improved living standards, requiring municipal services.

Thomas Savery

An English military engineer who patented the first steam engine in 1698.

Denis Papin

Inventor of the Digester or pressure cooker, which inspired the first crude steam engine.

Thomas Newcomen

English blacksmith who invented the atmospheric steam engine, improving upon Savery's design.

Atmospheric Pressure

The principle used by Newcomen's steam engine to create a vacuum and operate a piston.

James Watt

Scottish inventor known for significant improvements to the steam engine, active from 1736 to 1819.

George Stephenson

Inventor of the first steam locomotive, known as Stephenson’s Rocket, and considered the father of railways.

Impact of the Steam Locomotive

Created new jobs and contributed to urban population growth, notably in London.

Karl Benz

Inventor of the first true modern automobile, the "Motorwagen," patented in 1886.

Mercedes Benz

Emerged in 1901, named after Emil Jellinek's daughter, and marketed to wealthy families.

Henry Ford

American industrialist credited with making automobiles affordable for the middle class through Fordism.

Impact of the Automobile

Transformed the U.S. economy, facilitated urban sprawl, and led to the development of infrastructure like roads and gas stations.

Wilbur and Orville Wright

Pioneers of aviation who created the first successful airplane, the 1903 Wright Flyer.

Impact of the Airplane

Enhanced global movement, trade, and cultural exchange, and established airports as economic hubs.

Alessandro Volta

Inventor of the first battery in 1799, contributing to the field of electricity.

Hans Christian Oersted

Discovered the relationship between electric current and magnetic fields.

Michael Faraday

Inventor of the electric motor and generator, known for discovering electromagnetic induction.

Samuel F.B

Inventor of the telegraph and Morse code, facilitating communication for railways and during the Civil War.

Antonio Meucci

Credited with the invention of the first basic telephone in 1849.

Alexander Graham Bell

Awarded the first U.S. patent for a telephone in 1876.

Impact of the Telephone

Revolutionized communication, improved business efficiency, and influenced social dynamics.

Thomas Edison

Inventor of the electric light bulb, phonograph, and early film technology, and established the first commercial power station.

Nikola Tesla

Inventor known for the alternating current system and the Tesla coil, contributing to radio technology.

Guglielmo Marconi

Pioneer of long-distance radio transmission and played a key role in the Titanic rescue.

Lee De Forest

Inventor of the vacuum tube, essential for radio technology.

Reginald Fessenden

Innovator of voice and music radio broadcasts, contributing to AM radio.

Edwin Howard Armstrong

Developed FM radio, offering superior sound quality compared to AM.

Television

Technology for transmitting images over distance, with roots in the late 1800s and significant developments in the 20th century.

Advantages of TV

Provides news, entertainment, and spiritual content, but can lead to negative behaviors and health risks.

Early Computing Pioneers

Key figures like Charles Babbage and John Vincent Atanasoff who contributed to the development of computers.

Wernher von Braun

Led the development of the V-2 rocket, impacting space exploration and military technology.

Information Age

Characterized by advancements like nuclear power, satellites, and artificial hearts, revolutionizing various fields.

Charles Babbage

Invented the first mechanical computer

William Rae Young

Proposed that radio towers arranged in a hexagonal pattern

John Vincent Atanasoff

Invented the first electronic computer or the ENIAC

Martin Cooper

Executive of Motorola that invented the first practical cellphone called Motorola DynaTAC

Jesse Eugune Russell

Inventor of First Digital Phone