Industrial Revolution

 Industrial Revolution Old vs. New 

  The Erie Canal was a man-made waterway, which help to transport products and people from one place to another. The canal was significant because no longer did American need a natural river to move important resources; men just made waterways.

The Erie Canal with a boat being pulled by
Horses on the roads beside it. 

     Free enterprise and entrepreneurs were significant during the Industrial Revolution because it was profitable and people could progress without the government interfering. It helped the U.S. become a worldwide industrial power. 

The discovery of the Spindletop geyser in 1901 drove huge 
growth in the oil industry. Source

   The U.S. is abundant in natural resources. One which was oil, which allowed the U.S. to have trasportation. It was the single most important resource they had to assist them in becoming an industrial power. 
      Steel was also manufactured and used to make them an economical power. They made good use of the Bessemer process, which allowed for new ways to use steel. In the process, they injected air into molten iron, removing impurities and carbon, making it stronger and therefore, more efficient. They used it for 90% of new buildings after that. It helped them expand upward instead of outward. 

Henry Bessemer source

      Now in 2014, people are developing the so called "next industrial revolution". The company GE in Cinncinnati, the birth place of aviation, are one of many who believe so. 
      For decades, we have used "subtractive" manufacturing. Subtractive manufacturing is basically controlled material removal. It leads to lots of waste and is also time consuming. Recently, additive manufacturing has become more renown. 3D printing is an example of additive manufacturing. It allows you to built things from the ground up as a complete solid. The use

A newly made industrial 3D printer. Source

of 3D printing will make building things easier, less cost, less time, and it some cases, safer. 

The evolution of mobile phones over the years. 

     With the use of new technology and breakthroughs, a new industrial revolution can appear. Now, unlike the first, this industrial revolution will have much more involvement by all ages and is more electricity or solar based. But some similarities are that it is pushed by need and demand and that we still use machines.