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First Industrial Revolution

  • John Kay

    John Kay
    John Kay was the inventor of the Flying Shuttle, which was a key contribution to the Industrial Revolution. He is often confused with his namesake, who built the first "spinning frame".
  • James Hargreaves

    James Hargreaves
    The spinning jenny is a multi-spindle spinning frame, and was one of the key developments in the industrialization of weaving during the early Industrial Revolution. It was invented in 1764 by James Hargreaves in Stanhill, Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire in England.
  • Richard Arkwright

    Richard Arkwright
    The water frame is given to a spinning frame, when water power is used to drive it. Both are credited to Richard Arkwright who patented the technology in 1768. It was based on an invention by Thomas Highs and the patent was later overturned.
  • James Watt

    James Watt
    In 1800, Watt retired from work to devote his life to research. Though he did not invent the steam engine, he fundamentally changed what Newcomen and Savery had invented and the impact of his new versions of the steam engine on the Industrial Revolution cannot be understated. In recognition of the importance of his work, the electrical unit, the watt, was named after him and in his honour.
  • Samuel Compton

    Samuel Compton
    Image result for spinning mule
    Samuel Crompton invented the spinning mule in 1779, so called because it is a hybrid of Arkwright's water frame and James Hargreaves' spinning jenny in the same way that mule is the product of crossbreeding a female horse with a male donkey (a female donkey is called a jenny).
  • Richard Trevithick

    Invented the first steam locomotive to run on rails. A.K.A the train, still used today to transport people and goods, but the engine andesign has been updated.
  • Robert Fulton

    Steamboat; used then and now to transport goods and people over water
  • George Stephenson

    Innovated Richard Trevithick’s steam locomotive; used then and now to transport people and goods.
  • Thomas Edison

    Invented the lightbulb (used to light dark places), phonograph (mechanical recording and reproduction of sound), telegraph (a system transmitting messages from a distance along a wire), and the earliest motion picture. These inventions are still used today . The light bulb has been innovated in many ways but still resembles the original invention. The abilities of the phonograph can be seen in today’s voice recorders which can be bought individually or downloaded as an application on your phone.
  • Louis Pasteur

    Discovered principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation and pasteurization. Developed vaccines against fowl cholera, anthrax, and rabies. Pasteurization: the process. of heat processing a liquid or food to kill pathogenic bacteria to make the food safe to eat. This process is still used today for the same purpose.
  • Henry Bessemer

    Developed first process for manufacturing steel “Bessemer Process”. Still used today for the same purpose of producing low cost steel.
  • Nikola Tesla

    Expert in electricity. Developed radio and alternating current. These inventions helped in the innovation of communication and are still used today (esp. radios).