James Watt's efficient steam engine (1765)
Like fifty years later, they finally came out with a steam engine with a condensing chamber, making it more efficient. Also a pretty big deal.
Samuel F. B. Morse's telegraph and Morse Code (1837)
Henry Bessemir's steel converter (1854)
Revolutionized the production of steel
Gugliemo Marconi (1901) transatlantic radio message
From Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Charles Babbage (1834)'s analytic engine
First ancestor of the computer
Hiram Maxim's machine gun (1884)
Mass slaughter is now possible, begins mechanization of warfare. Unfortunately, as some predicted, his machine gun did not prevent war — people still fought, despite these monsters being on the battlefield.
First high explosive that could be safely handled. Useful for mining and clearing areas for infrastructure.
Singer's first practical sewing machine (1851)
Allowed for more sewing, including at-home
Eiffel Tower (1889)
For the World Exposition in Paris
Brooklyn Bridge opened (1883)
Large suspension bridge, "triumph of engineering."
Joseph Monier (1849)
Jethro Tull (1708)'s mechanical seed drill
Helped plant crops
More efficient thread spinning
James Brindley (1761)'s Bridgewater Canal
Lit his home using coal gas. Also, he was James Watt's assistant.
Cathode rays discovered
1858
Alexander Graham Bell's telephone (1876)
Made communicating across long distances much easier, but such conversations still had to be done in public, etc.,
Liverpool and Manchester Railway (1830)
Began the first regular commercial rail service
Under the Thames
Gugliemo Marconi (1896)'s wireless telegraph patent
Useful for, like, ship distress calls. Say, for example, the one the Titanic sent out.
Eli Whitney (1793)'s cotton gin
This separated the useful raw cotton from its seeds, making the cotton industry much more profitable. It had mixed effects — remember how a lot of cotton was farmed using slave labor.
Gasoline refinement
First occurred in 1850. Gasoline is an important fuel source.
Daguerre's daguerrotype (1838)
Early form of photography
Robert Trevithick (1801)'s steam locomotive demonstration
George Stephenson's Rocket, 1829, would lead to great railroad infrastructure, which helped with city planning, made moving to the city easier, and made trade and large-scale commerce much better. For example, now placing factories in population centers made more sense. (I barely understand why myself, but okay)
First transatlantic cable completed
1858
Robert Fulton (1807)'s Clermont
The first successful steamboat. Like the locomotive, made trade so, so much better. For example, now the US could leverage its advantage in having the Mississippi river.
Tremendously helped with making weaving easier, used in the putting-out industry at first.
Thomas Newcomen (1712)'s steam engine
First commercially successful (though kind of clumsy) steam engine, used to pump water out of coal mines. Big deal, since we've just unlocked a new power source.
First skyscraper (10 stories tall) (in Chicago)
1883
Thomas Alva Edison's phonograph (1877)
