The groundbreaking people, ideas, and inventions of the Industrial Revolution, spanning from 1760 to 1840, are brought to life in this fascinating addition to the New York Times bestselling What Was? series. Following the Agricultural Revolution, the Industrial Revolution was a global period of economic and industrial progress in Europe and the United States. In just eighty years, the Industrial Revolution introduced new inventions and ideas that transformed labor and the economy. This included the industrial use of new materials like steel, the transition of means of production from human hands to machines, and the adoption of new processes like steam power. These innovations dramatically improved factory output, increased the population, and set a new precedent for standard of living for the average person. In this illustrated book, which features sixteen pages of black-and-white photographs, readers will learn about the inventions, people, and ideas that made this period one of the most important and exciting times in modern history—one that still impacts our lives today.