How Did The Steam Engine Impact The Advancement Of The Industrial Revolution

The economy of England during the 18th century was one that needed rebuilding after many years of war with other countries. A breakthrough of new technology and ideas boosted the economy, creating a time known commonly as the Industrial Revolution. Specifically, there was one invention that defined the Industrial Revolution. The steam engine, a device powered by coal used to run machines at an efficient rate, was developed during the Industrial Revolution. The invention of the steam engine had a major effect on the economy of England during the Industrial Revolution through its use in mining, transportation, and factories.

The introduction of an a highly efficient steam engine by Thomas Watt in 1769 was undoubtedly a crucial factor in the advent of the industrial revolution. This made it possible for mills and later factories to be located nearly anywhere by eliminating the necessity of a running stream to provide power. It was the rise of the factory system of manufacture with its strategy for the specialization of labor which contributed most to the

The idea of using steam as a force to power machinery was not new during the seventeen hundreds; it had already been mentioned by ancient Greek scholars. It was scientist such as James watt that refined that idea to create the steam engine (Live science, 2012). The concept is simple, water is heated by coal and the resulting steam acts as a driving force for the machines, similar to how the rivers flow powered the mills (Live science, 2012). Water power meant that factories were limited to certain locations, however steam powered factories could did not have such constraint (Live science, 2012). The steam engine expanded industries all over Britain. First, it improved the coal industry by pumping water out of coal mines, making it safe from flooding (Live science, 2012). Secondly, the

“The water-frame used the waterpower from fast-flowing streams to drive spinning wheels.” (course reader 102) Then there was the introduction of the steam engine and power-loom. Due to an expired patent, James Watt decided to create his version of the steam engine for use in a cotton mill plant and introduced a system for the factory that was revolutionary. As a result, wages and manufacturing of cotton and iron really increased. This helped get more work done in less time and gave people jobs. (Document 2) The steam engines also helped get the economy ramped up by being able to bring supplies to the cities and more jobs to people. The steam engines provided jobs because they needed miners, engineers, and sailors who could build the canals and railroads for this transportation. As a result, they could bring supplies to the cities which also increased farmland available to produce more food for everyone. (Document 3) The steam engine brought in railroad development, industrialization and changes to the population. (Document 9) With the growth of railways and transportation, from 1801-1851, many cities were developed within the central part of Great Britain and the population

The Industrial Revolution plagued the lower working class with overcrowded cities and harsher working conditions. These effects were the result of the development of the factory system that followed the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution was made possible by technological innovations such as the steam engine, invented in 1765 by James Watt. Machines were just as important as the labor class working the machines in factories and in the Industrial Revolution.

The development of locomotives, and steamboats manufactured goods could now be sold around the globe. Families moved from the villages of their ancestors to new industrial towns and a new class of people emerged, workers who produced goods. The industrialist, the people who owned the factories, employed hundreds even thousands of people, and made enormous profits. A major concern was the growing numbers, the masses of the urban poor that arrived and settled in the city. While the industrial innovations brought wealth to some and jobs for others, it all came with a cost: pollution from coal powered factories turned the cities black. Lack of housing created the first urban slums.

revolution. Many of them were made thanks to two engines, the steam engine and the internal combustion engine. When comparing the two engines, it was decided that the steam engine did the most to revolutionize America. This is because it was used in many, many machines, had a gigantic impact on the future, and was important to businesses.

The unlocking of steam power in human technology was integral to the development of the steam engine, which allows access to steam ships and railroads.Railroads allow the mass transport of goods in rapid speed, promoting extensive trade. Steam shipping would induce the flow of goods and migration to the New World, and the development of the telegraph would create price convergence and rapid communication across multiple economies.

There were countless amount of inventions that were being invented. Steam power is believed to be one of the greatest inventions of them all. The invention of the steamboat changed the way we did most of our tasks. Food, resources, and people can now be exported/imported on a much faster and efficient rate.

The hypothesis that I plan to test is the impact that the steam engine, which sparked the Industrial Revolution, had on long-term economic growth in England. I choose the steam engine because it was an invention that led to the rise of the factory system and it was also an invention that impacted the Industrial Revolution greatly as well. It is also been argued by economists that the steam engine had a negative impact on the economic growth in England. A possible factor that I will consider to why England saw economic growth with adopting the steam engine compared to other countries is because of the patent system that was in place. Another possible factor that I will explore is what affect it had on the coal industry since I believed that

Prior to the Transportation Revolution, the majority of goods were transported by boat, which created issues when goods were required to be transported to areas without waterways, as there was no fast form of land transportation that could carry large amounts of goods. During the Transportation Revolution, however, trains and steamships were introduced, which revolutionized the way goods were transported, as trains allowed for fast and efficient land travel, while steamships made sea travel easier and removed some weather constraints. These innovations allowed goods to reach new areas in record time, and also created new jobs and discoveries as people searched for ways to improve these new methods of transportation. Without these advancements, it is likely that, due to the speed at which goods would be transported, progress would slow down immensely, as it would be much more difficult to move supplies to cities regardless of location at a practical

"The wonderful progress of the present century is, in a very great degree, due to the invention and improvement of the steam engine, and to the ingenious application of its power to kinds of work that formerly taxed the physical energies of the human race."~Robert H. Thurston

The steam engine used in means of travel revolutionized the transportation of goods, as well as the importing and exporting of them. "The steam-powered railroad changed geography and history. When grain merchants transported their goods by horsepower, they could go only so far before the horse consumed more than it could carry." (Gordon) In this aspect, the steam engine in railroads allowed people to import and export their goods on a faster, more reliable, source. Another major effect of the steam engine on society

The canalization of rivers, the steam engine, and railways were key components of the development of industry [2]. The extensive canal system was created around the mid 1700s to move goods and supplies inland. This system was cheaper and quicker than shipping goods over land [3]. The steam engine, however, was the driving force behind the Industrial Revolution. Prior to the invention of steam power, factories were located along rivers and used water for power. The development of a practical, efficient steam engine and its application to industry and transportation was a great leap in progress for industrialization. The steam engine’s application was limitless, and it was responsible for lifting industries from infancy to adolescence. Steam engines were used to develop machines that operated factory systems, pumps for mines, faster ships, and locomotives. A steam locomotive was able to carry raw materials and products very quickly. The expansion of the uses of the steam engine created the steam locomotive and a greater need for a railroad system. As a result, Railroads multiplied rapidly in England from 1,000 miles in 1836 to more than 7,000 miles by 1852 [4]. Machinery took the place of the work of many humans and made the work easier on others.

The steam engine can easily be considered the single most important invention of the entire industrial revolution. There is not one part of industry present in today's society that can be examined without coming across some type of reference or dependence upon the steam engine. But, who deserves the credit for this great invention? Some give the credit to James Watt while others claim that Thomas Newcomen was the original inventor. However, the idea of the