American Industrial Revolution (1790–1860)

1. Slater’s water-powered spinning begins at Pawtucket

   Dec 1, 1790Labels: Samuel Slater, Pawtucket Mill

   • NPS Slater

2. Patent Act strengthens U.S. invention incentives

   Feb 21, 1793Labels: Patent Act, U S

   • FJC

3. Whitney receives cotton gin patent

   Mar 14, 1794Labels: Eli Whitney, Cotton Gin

   • Nat Archives
   • PBS AIA

4. Embargo Act disrupts trade and encourages domestic production

   Dec 22, 1807Labels: Embargo Act, Thomas Jefferson

   • Britannica
   • Embargo Act

5. Construction begins on the federally funded National Road

   Jan 1, 1811Labels: National Road, Cumberland Road

   • NPS Road
   • FHWA

6. Waltham mill pioneers the integrated factory system

   Sep 30, 1814Labels: Waltham Mill, Boston Manufacturing

   • BMC Waltham
   • Mill Girls

7. Tariff of 1816 signals protective policy for manufacturers

   Apr 27, 1816Labels: Tariff of, U S

   • Tariff 1816

8. Merrimack Manufacturing begins operations in Lowell

   Jan 1, 1823Labels: Merrimack Manufacturing, Lowell

   • Merrimack
   • Lowell City

9. Erie Canal opens, cutting transport costs across New York

   Oct 26, 1825Labels: Erie Canal, New York

   • GovInfo
   • HISTORY

10. B&O Railroad begins regular operations from Baltimore

    May 22, 1830Labels: Baltimore &, B&O

    • B O Hist

11. Lowell workers stage the 1834 “turn-out” against wage cuts

    Feb 1, 1834Labels: Lowell Turn-Out, Female Mill

    • NPS Strikes

12. Lowell “turn-out” of 1836 protests higher board charges

    Oct 1, 1836Labels: Lowell Turn-Out, Boardinghouse Charges

    • NPS Strikes

13. Morse sends first long-distance U.S. telegraph message

    May 24, 1844Labels: Samuel Morse, Telegraph

    • Smithsonian
    • LOC

14. Lowell Female Labor Reform Association forms for ten-hour day

    Jan 1, 1845Labels: Lowell Female, Ten-Hour Movement

    • NPS LFLRA

15. Kelly and Bessemer patents point toward mass steelmaking

    Jan 1, 1856Labels: Bessemer Process, William Kelly

    • Britannica
    • Britannica Steel

16. By 1860, industrial growth reshapes U.S. economy and tensions

    Jan 1, 1860Labels: 1860 Manufacturing, U S

    • Census 1860