Britain's wealth was built on the basis of child labor and hardship, making the Industrial Revolution the greatest story in history, highlighting the transition from manual production methods to mechanical production. Economic historians identify 4 separate industrial revolutions, providing an understanding of the world economy as it exists today. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In the early 18th century, cotton was considered a luxurious and exotic fabric, to be worn only by upper class citizens, but with the help of technological advancements, this fashionable fabric became easily available to all the working classes, as demand in the cotton industries saw a boom. Quarry Bank Mill, founded in 1784 by Samuel Greg, seized the opportunity to take advantage of the cotton industry's desperate need for expansion and industrialization. Seker. D (2018), states: “The factory system was revolutionary with a combination of investment in water power and a fast-paced workforce, working at the pace of these machines.” By the early 19th century, the cotton industry was expanding at a breakneck pace, accounting for nearly half of Britain's exports. However, constant pressure on productivity has meant that factories have become dangerous places to work. Furthermore, without implemented laws and regulations, human rights and labor freedom were crushed, but nevertheless the Gregg cotton mill's business was booming, leaving Britain to be the richest nation. It wasn't long before the use of the steam engine was introduced into the economy, allowing Britain to produce goods at a lower cost, spurning large profits for factories. According to Kelly, R (2019), the steam engine continued to emerge and improve during the industrial revolution until 1773, when J Watt and M Boulton produced the classic double-acting steam engine. Steam engine power drove the spinning wheels, allowing high quality and quantity of yarn to be produced more efficiently and to meet high demand. It is important to note that the adaptation of the steam engine was not only an essential tool in the manufacturing sector but also in the transportation sector. Steam engines allowed trains to offer faster service, transporting raw and finished products to other industries allowing them to be more efficient in the production stages. Furthermore, the new means of travel became more attractive to individuals from rural areas, who could use the new rapid transport to urban areas for work. It is important to note that by 1850, almost half of Britain resided in cities, due to the rapid increase in employment opportunities. In the early 1900s, the Second Industrial Revolution was evolving, with Henry Ford introducing the assembly line. With the help of the steam engine, formally produced in Great Britain, the United States used it to its advantage in the production of Ford's Model T, later known as the Model Ford. Henry Ford had mastered mass production techniques, allowing the manufacturing plant to produce a fully assembled Model T every 24 seconds. However, Ford and his engineers were constantly looking for new ways to speed up the car manufacturing process. By 1923, Ford had perfected the assembly line, increasing overall production levels to over 15 million and reducing production times from over 12 hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes. Furthermore, i.
tags