Industrial revolution inventions and urbanization
Industrial revolution refers to the period of rapid transition to new manufacturing processes that mainly took place from about 1760 to between 1820 and 1840. It mainly involved a movement from hand manufacturing to machine and chemical manufacturing. The revolution saw a shift from water power supply to coal power.
During this period, several inventions were developed which had significant impacts on humanity and urbanization. Nicholas Louis Robert invented the Fourdrinier, a machine that could make continuous sheets of paper on a wire fabric loop. The machine could produce rolls of papers which became the basis of production of paper today. He obtained a patent of the machine in 1801 through his brother-in-law John Gamble who was living in Paris, patent 2487. In 1803, with the help of Bryan Donkin an improved version of Robert’s original was set up in Frogmore, Hertfordshire and another in 1884. The Fourdrinier was introduced in the USA in 1827 (Hills, Richard, 1988). It influenced the development of continuous rolling of iron and steel alongside other continues processes of production (Misa, Thomas J. 1995, p. 243.). The steel, and iron process lead to an enormous jobs in the sites they were situated. This led to concentration of people (workers), construction of better roads, and supply of other amenities and eventually development of an urban centre.
In 1802, Humphry Davy invented the initial incandescent light using an electrical battery by passing current through a platinum strip although it was not bright enough. Many demonstrations and attempts took place but, it was not until 1878, when Sir Joseph Wilson Swan, introduced the first electric light bulb which he received a patent in 1880, patent 4933 (Sir Joseph Swan (1828-1914). In 1903, Willis Whitney invented a metal- coated carbon filament which did not make the inside of the bulb black. In 1906, an electric company patented a method of making tungsten light bulbs although they were very costly. In 1910, William David Coolidge invented a more economical filament. In 1925, the first frosted light bulbs were invented. In 1991, Philips, a renowned company introduced a light bulb that could last 60000 hours which was the ultimate breakthrough in lighting. The electric light bulb used electricity to illuminate areas. It provided light for the people in the house and in the streets. The electric build lead to well-lit urban centres or houses within the urban centres which attracted many people from the rural areas. It also ensures that people stayed for long hours at places of work since there was enough light from the electric light bulb. It thus led to more production of goods and services at centralized places which attracted settlements and consequently urbanization.
Another significant invention of the industrial revolution is the steamboat. In 1803, Henry Bell who was motivated by Robert Fullton who presented the Charlotte Dundas trials of a steamboat in his presence came up with his own model of a steamboat. Henry Bell’s steamboat sailed along River Seine in 1803. In 1812, Henry Bell's PS Comet was inaugurated which sailed people across River Clyde in Scotland. The steamboat eased the movement of people from one place to another. Richard Wright's experimental steamboat was the first sea-going steamboat. In July 19th, 1813, the Tug was launched by the Woods Brothers, and it was the first steamboat to travel from north of Scotland to the eastern coast of the country (Malster, R, 1971.p. 61). Later developments of the steamboat lead to the emergence of modern ships made from various countries and with different capabilities. The steamboat contributes significantly to urbanization in that it eased the movement of people. At the time of the industrial revolution, migration to industrial centres was dominant. A means of transport was thus necessary and steamboats offered a quick means of transport. At the same time, the production of the steamboats and current ship lead to industries which required workers. The workers settled around the industries and eventually grew to become urban centre.
Work Cited
Misa, Thomas J. A. Nation of Steel: The Making of Modern America 1965–1925. Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 243. ISBN 978-0-8018-6502-2 , 1995
Swan K R Sir Joseph Swan and the Invention of the Incandescent Electric Lamp. Longmans, Green and Co. Pp 21–25. 1946
Malster, R Wherries & Waterways, Lavenham, p. 61. 1971
Hills, Richard, "Papermaking in Britain 1488–1988", Athlone Press, 1988
