Industrial Revolution

A building, usually large, with machines for producing goods to sell; factories are typically located in cities.

The change from making goods in small quantities by hand to making goods (1) in factories, (2) by machines, and (3) using new sources of energy. The Industrial Revolution began in Britain in the late 1700s. It was one of the largest changes in human history.

All the activities involved in making goods in factories. Sometimes industry means a specific type of work, such as the "music industry." "Industry" is also a synonym for effort and hard work.

The island consisting of England, Wales, and Scotland. The United Kingdom is a country made up of Britain and northern Ireland.

The British empire consisted of Britain and the parts of the world it controlled. By 1850, Britain had the world's largest empire, controlling Australia, India, Canada, Jamaica, Cape Town (South Africa), and other places.

Material used to make clothing and other woven goods (for example, wool, cotton, linen, and silk). The Industrial Revolution began in the textile industry.

Scratchy textile that comes from sheep, used to make warm clothing

Soft, light-weight textile that comes from the cotton plant. Cotton is grown in hotter climates such as India, Turkey, and the American South. Cotton can be dyed different colors.

The process of twisting the fibers of wool, cotton, or other textiles into thread for use in weaving. Before the Industrial Revolution, spinning was done by hand using a spinning wheel (shown in the picture).

Machine invented during the Industrial Revolution that enabled one person to spin many threads of cotton at the same time

The process of turning thread or yarn into cloth on a loom (shown in the picture). The invention of the flying shuttle during the Industrial Revolution sped up the weaving process.

Machine invented during the Industrial Revolution and used for weaving. Powered by water or a steam engine, the power loom greatly increased the speed and lowered the cost of weaving cloth.

Machine that quickly removed seeds and dirt from raw cotton. Used in the American South, the cotton gin made it possible for slaves to remove seeds 50 times faster than by hand.

A strong and flexible metal product made from iron. Methods of producing steel invented in the late 1800s made it possible to produce steel inexpensively and in great volume for use in engines, railroads, and everyday goods.

Machine made of iron and powered by coal used for generating energy to operate machines like the power loom during the Industrial Revolution

A hard black substance that, when burned, gives off heat. It is made out of carbon from decayed vegetable matter in the earth. During the Industrial Revolution, coal was used to heat homes, power steam engines, and make iron and steel.

Coal processed so that it has high carbon content. In the Industrial Revolution, coke replaced charcoal in making high-quality iron and steel.

Large ships made of iron or steel and powered by steam engines. Robert Fulton invented the first steam engine in New York in the early 1800s. A hundred years later, steamships were powered by a new kind of engine that used oil instead of coal.

The changes that take place when industry spreads in a country. For example, during industrialization, cities increase in number and size; the number of factory workers increases; fewer people live in the countryside; and standards of living tend to improve. The transition to industry can be disruptive. The Industrial Revolution happened once in the past (in Britain), but industrialization has spread around the world since then and continues today.

Short for labor union or trade union. An organization created by workers to improve their wages, hours, health benefits, and working conditions. Labor unions negotiate with employers to improve workers' lives.