Human Heritage: A World History

"Inventors of the Industrial Revolution"

Introduction
The Industrial Revolution began in the early 1700s. It was a long, slow process at first. However, as one development led to another, the revolution spread throughout Europe and then to the United States. The world was changing so rapidly it gave rise to a new age. To learn about the reasons people wanted to invent new ways of doing things, the inventions that people created, and the people who created them, go to the Inventors of the Industrial Revolution Web site.

Destination Title: Inventors of the Industrial Revolution

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Directions
Start at the Inventors of the Industrial Revolution Web site.

• Browse through the site, taking notes as you go.
• Click “Next” at the bottom of each page to move through the presentation.
• Apply what you learn to answer the following questions.

1			What was Viscount Charles Townshend’s secret way of rotating crops?
2			What was the most important benefit of steam engines?
3			What are interchangeable parts? Who invented them?
4			Explain how the first camera worked.
5			The telephone changed life in the United States in just a few decades. With modems and fiber optics, communication technology continues to improve. Write a one-page essay describing the effects that instant communication has had on our society. Your essay should compare how families, businesses, and communities interact now compared to how they interacted before the invention of the telephone and other communication tools.