In the late 1700's, the USA started to go through technological advances. These sets of advances are what we refer to today as the INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION. The Industrial Revolution shaped the world by how it produces today's goods and products. Starting in Great Britain, the Industrial Revolution spread to other countries such as France, the United States and Germany. Some historians believe the Industrial Revolution never ended, and is still taking place today, with inventions such as the internet and cell phones.
However, the Industrial Revolution, although filled with inventions, did have many setbacks. For instance, the carbon-dioxide pollution increased greatly within 100 years. The most common type of inventions were based on the steam powered engine.
In 1879, Edison announced his invention of the prolonged light bulb. Thomas invented a carbon filament that burned for forty hours. Edison placed his filament in an oxygenless bulb. This was useful to our society today just as it was back then. Many other inventors made light bulbs before, but none that lasted as long as Edison's version. In 1880, Edison continued to improve his light bulb until it could last for over 1200 hours using a bamboo-derived filament.
The Industrial revolution had its impact on the lower, middle, and upper classes. Each social class experienced problems and benefits as a result of industrialization. The lower, or working, class benefited from the industrial revolution from the invention of the cotton gin. This made work easier because it made for a prolonged life and a shorter workday. Because there was a shorter workday, the lower class also did not make as much money. The middle class, or landowners, also benefited from the cotton gin, since they profited off the cotton, and also did not have to pay the farmers as much money. However, to "make up" for this gain of money, was the invention of the steam engine. They would often pay to run the steam engines. The upper class mostly benefitted from the Industrial Revolution. They would benefit from all of the inventions, since they had the money to afford it. The only downside for them was the pollution from the factories.
Both the northern and southern states were economically impacted by the industrial revolution. As stated before, one of the Industrial Revolutions biggest advancements was the cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney. The cotton gin made it for easier cleaning of the cotton. As the cotton gin evolved, it was used as to pick the cotton, and even spin the cotton as well. This obviously benefited the southern state economy. The northern states benefited mostly from the steam engine. The steam engine, which was powered by coal, would be used to operate trains. The railroad system was one of the most economical benefits of the Industrial revolution.
