The Industrial Revolution was one of the most influential periods that changed the history of the earth. Despite the suffering the Industrial Revolution caused such as the tainting of natural resources and the harsh conditions for workers, the material benefits far outweighed it. The Industrial Revolution gave birth to many inventions we use today, and caused the economy to grow rapidly. The world would be a much different place if the Industrial Revolution never took place. .
The Industrial Revolution changed the world when machines replaced manual labor to mass-produce goods. Inventors helped progress the economy during the time period by developing many timesaving machines. One such invention was the steam engine that was designed by Thomas Newcomen and was later improved by James Watt according to "World History, The Modern Era: Connections to Today." The steam engine was vital to the growth of factories because it was a source of power for the machines inside the factories. Before the steam engine, factories were water-powered and needed to be located next to a river. Now, a factory could be located anywhere. However, with the surplus in goods being manufactured, it wasn't being transported fast enough. That is when the steam-powered locomotives were developed and the first railroad delivered goods at astonishing speeds. Another invention was the waterframe invented by Richard Arkwright. It used the power of a water wheel to power a spinner that spun strong threads stronger than the threads the spinning jenny spun. Today, these inventions or modifications of it are still widely used throughout the world.
Before the Revolution, many people were stuck on farms and cottages with their miserable or no jobs. As factories rose up, many people began moving into larger cities such as England and worked for factories. At first, their wages were bad and had no job security, but they had a job and a small source of income.
