Industrial Revolution

During the Industrial boom of the early 1700’s, no one would have thought that these inventions and ideas could shape the world we live in today, especially then. You do not have to be a historian to know that, with new inventions comes more money; so economically this was revolutionary. For example, the lathe is the oldest and simplest known machine tool. Normally used by carpenters, these were used to make decorative table legs, columns, etc. It was late 17th Century when clockmakers, builders of scientific instruments, and furniture and gun makers began to use the lathe for other than cutting wood. They now made it possible to machine steel and very effectively. The development of precise machine tools, such as compass and telescope, greatly affected the art of navigation and help begin the process for the industrial machine tools of the late 18th and early l9th Centuries. These being the working class citizens, they began to make a little more money a bit easier. With the hard working class making money, their lives begin to brighten in this dim world, families expanding, and people begin to open their eyes. The huge gap between aristocrats and the working class is beginning to close but will not until much later.

By opening their eyes, I mean in the literal sense as well as figuratively. With the printing press becoming more predominate, shooting out ink and paper with tremendous speed, we see people actually opening their eyes and becoming literate at a steady rate. People are beginning to read and forming their own ideas about the world. Everyday life is no longer spent contemplating how long one will work in the field, but on how he/she will spend some of this free time acquired by these efficient machines. Europe moved from a primarily agricultural and rural economy to a capitalist and urban economy. Now that these lathes, and agricultural machines and techniques are coming into play, great minds start thinking of ways to improve upon someone else’s ideas. An example is like the lathe; first started out as a wood-working tool, then moved on to machine metal, and then finally it turned into something blacksmiths and clockmakers used to machine gears within 1/10,000th of an inch! This in turn, made possible the great advances in standards of living for many people throughout Western Europe.

Transportation made a huge leap with the steam engine, railroads, and machining metal to form boats as well.