Famous Inventors and Innovators of the Industrial Revolution

Name______Date______

Famous Inventors and Innovators of the Industrial Revolution

James Wattwas a British inventor nicknamed, “The Father of the Industrial Revolution.” He was the world’s first engineer. Watt perfected the steam engine. It powered machines, factories, railroads, and ships. This made the factory possible. The Industrial Revolution ran on the steam engine. It improved transportation,replaced water power, horse power, and human power.

Eli Whitney was an American innovator nicknamed, “The Father of Mass Production.” Before Whitney things were made one at a time. After Whitney things were made by the thousands.His innovation with interchangeable parts helped develop manufactured goods on a massive scale in standard sizes very rapidly, and at a lower cost. Mass production led to a division of labor. Each worker performs only a single operation which made the factory possible.

Bessemer was a British innovator. Steel was stronger than iron, but nobody knew how to mass-produce steel. Bessemerinvented a process to mass-produce steel. Using coke from coal, you melt iron in a blast furnace. Fromthen on, everything was made of steel like machines, railroads, and ships. Around Europe and the U.S. steelmills arose near coal mines. (example: Pittsburg)

Pasteur was a French innovator nicknamed, “The Father of Microbiology.” Pasteur discovered that disease is caused by infection from microscopic organisms, called germs. He developed the germ theory of disease to explain the causes of diseases.Pasteurization is when you heat food and drink so you can kill germs. He developed vaccines for rabies and anthrax which help improved health care. He spurred antiseptics and sterilization of hospital instruments.

Thomas Edisonwas an American inventor nicknamed, “The Wizard of Menlo Park.” He invented electric light bulb, phonograph, and motion-picture projector. He obtained 1,000 patents during his lifetime. He created the world's firstindustrial research laboratory. In 1879, Edison invented the light bulb. (Until then, people used kerosene lamps.) He developed central generating stations, opened the first power station in New York City, and founded General

Electric. He lighted the world. Within 30 years, millions of homes were lit by electricity. Factories became powered by electricity now (instead of by steam).

1. Who are the inventors?______, ______

2. Who are the innovators?______, ______, ______

3. “The Father of the Industrial Revolution” ______

4. “The Father of Mass Production”______

5. “The Father of Microbiology” ______

6. “The Wizard of Menlo Park”______

7. The world’s first engineer. ______

8. The world's first industrial research laboratory.______

9. Perfected the steam engine______

10. Invented the blast furnace. ______

11. Invented the electric light bulb______

12. Created interchangeable parts______

13. Factories were powered by steam______

14. Factories were powered by electricity______

15. Replaced water power, horse power, and human power.______

16. Opened the first power station in New York City. ______

17. Goods were manufactured on a massive scale______

18. Mass production of steel ______

19. Division of labor: Each worker performed only a single operation. ______

20. Machines, railroads, ships were all made of steel.______

21. Machines, railroads, ships all ran on steam.______

22. Improvements in medicine______

23. The germ theory______

24. Vaccines ______