1712: Thomas Newcomen built an early practical steam engine. Steam power later became important for factories and transportation.
1760s: The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain. Machines and factories began changing how many goods were made.
1790s: The Industrial Revolution spread to the United States as textile mills began opening.
1793: Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, a machine that made it much faster to separate cotton fibers from seeds. The invention increased the demand for cotton and contributed to the expansion of slavery in the South.
1807: Robert Fulton began a successful steamboat service. Steamboats made it easier to move people and goods along rivers.
1825: The Erie Canal opened, connecting the Great Lakes region with the Hudson River and New York City.
1831: Cyrus McCormick developed a mechanical reaper that helped farmers harvest crops more quickly.
1837: John Deere developed a steel plow that worked well in the thick soil of the Midwest.
1844: Samuel Morse sent a message over a long-distance telegraph line. The telegraph allowed information to travel much faster than before.
1869: The first transcontinental railroad was completed, connecting railroads in the eastern United States with the Pacific Coast.
1876: Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for the telephone, which allowed people to speak with one another across long distances.
1879: Thomas Edison demonstrated a practical electric light bulb that could provide light for many hours.
1908: Ford Motor Company introduced the Model T. New production methods eventually made cars more affordable for many Americans.
