Overview

There were many sources of power used before the Industrial Revolution of the eighteenth century. The use of slave labor was the first source of large-scale power. This was followed by advances in animal power that were made possible by the invention of tools such as the horse collar. Even more significant was the success of medieval technology in harnessing water and wind power. The waterwheel is one of the oldest sources of power known to man. It was the first type of power harnessed by man that was not generated by animals or humans. When combined with the proper equipment to form a mill, waterwheels were used to grind grain, drive sawmills, power lathes, move pumps, forge bellows, make vegetable oils, and power textile mills. It served as the main source of...