Overview

The eighteenth century saw the transformation of technology from a small-scale, handcrafted activity to a mechanized industrial system. Building on improvements in agriculture, on established small-scale production (proto-industrialization), and on enhanced navigation and trade, this technological change relied on many new inventions, the increased use of steam power, the utilization of coal and iron, and labor-saving machinery. Taken together, these significant changes provided the foundation for an industrial revolution that was well in place by the century's end.

Agricultural Change

The ability to produce surplus foodstuffs with fewer agricultural laborers was essential for supporting an industrial work force. New crops, new tools, and new methods made that possible. For example, the introduction of the potato from the New World provided Western Europe with a new staple food that had a high caloric and vitamin content and the added advantage...