5.5 Technology of the Industrial Age
Revolution in Britain
Coal was an important power in the industrial revolution
The main engine of the industrial revolution was the steam engine
The steam engine was developed by British scientist James Watt
With the steam engine, they ended the use of water for factories.
The steam engine also was used for locomotives on railroads, which was important to mass-transport goods.
With the suez canal, the distance between EU and Asia, which caused more steam ships and rapid expansion of trade
Oil was the next important power in the industrial revolution
The internal combustion engine was developed to harness the energy of gasoline
Smaller and more efficient than the steam engine
Jumpstarted the creation of the automobile
Both coal and oil helped the amount of energy available for humans during this time, even if it came with significant environmental problems like air pollution
Revolution in other places
Steel
The main building material for revolutions
The bessemer process combined iron with carbon and blasted hot air into it, which was stronger than iron alone.
Steel also became easier to produce
Chemical Engineering
synthetic dyes were developed with textiles
vulcanization was a process developed to make rubber harder and more durable
Electricity
With thomas edison creating lightbulbs, it lit homes and factories
Electric streetcars and subways were developed to provide mass transit in major cities that were becoming large and complex
The telegraph was created by samuel morse in the 1840’s. It was able to send communication across wires
Effects of the new technology
Development of interior regions
Places that were difficult to reach were able to be reached quicker with railroads
The telegraph also helped the development
Increase of trade and migration
Global trade multiplied by a factor of 10 between 1850 and 1913
As a result, states around the world were becoming more closely interlinked into a global economy
railroads increased the amount of migration