One of the ingredients that made the Industrial Revolution so Revolutionary is the evolution of transportation. The invention of the steam locomotive was important to transportation in the Industrial Revolution. Before the revolution, railroads had to follow rivers so a barge could pull the cars. Now, a steam locomotive would do this. Steam power was also applied to boats by Robert Fulton. His steamship traveled up the Hudson River at five miles per hour. Soon, massive cargo ships were built for ocean sailing. Turnpikes and roads were built, as well as canals. These great leaps in transportation truly made the industrial revolution revolutionary.
Robert Fulton's Steamboat Clermont (http://www.cardcow.com/images/set64/card00301_fr.jpg)
Another thing that helped the revolution on it's way were resources. Britain's large coal supply helped to power steam engines. The need for coal and iron to be mined gave people jobs other than farming. Capital can also be described as a resource. Capital, or wealth, allowed technology to pave the way for innovation. The British economy prospered in the 1600s and 1700s from trade, and this gave the business class a chance to invest in new enterprises, allowing the industrial revolution to happen. Finally, cotton became popular, and demand for cotton clothes, and all textiles, increased. The demand for resources are another that the Industrial Revolution was revolutionary.
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