The Industrial Revolution: Introduction (Already Read In Module Yesterday)
Introduction
Imagine that it’s 1848. You're an immigrant from Scotland who has just arrived in the United States at the age of 12. You find work in a Pennsylvania factory as an unskilled laborer. Over time, your hard work and savvy business skills make you one of the country's most powerful and wealthy businessmen. This story describes Andrew Carnegie. Like other tycoons of his era, Carnegie took advantage of new business opportunities in the United States. In the late 1800s, the country industrialized, creating new jobs for many Americans. The Industrial Revolution catapulted the nation into the position of a manufacturing world power.
A variety of technological and creative advancements led to the industrialization of the United States. The development of a national railroad and telegraph system improved transportation and communication. And during the 1880s, the development of electricity made machinery more efficient. Researchers and inventors also made bold new discoveries. Gasoline and kerosene became promising energy sources. Many inventions, including farm machinery, cameras, and typewriters, helped build the United States into an economic superpower.
