Just as the Scientific Revolution transformed European views of the natural world, so did the changes in technology and industry that began in the eighteenth century transform their material life.
The topics around which we have centered our discussion of the beginnings of industrialization are:
The key examples have been steam technology, textile machinery, and iron & steel production.
On textile machinery and the factory system, you can check out:
On steam power, there are a number of sites, although most material that you will turn up in searches will deal with railways and locomotives, rather than the important stationary engine developments, such as those of Thomas Newcomen or James Watt. The Steam Engine Library deserves a look, although it requires a bit of effort to explore.
After you have explored at least one site for textiles and one for steampower, you should make sure that you understand the key technical developments in these areas in the 18th century, and have some idea of why the most important developments took place in Britain. Bring to your section a print-out of the one or two most useful pages you have found for the Industrial Revolution
