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.
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.
Cathode rays discovered
1858
This is a record player. Useful for music, instructions, etc.,
First high explosive that could be safely handled. Useful for mining and clearing areas for infrastructure.
Daguerre's daguerrotype (1838)
Singer's first practical sewing machine (1851)
Allowed for more sewing, including at-home
Automated thread spinning
Thomas Edison (1879)
Invented the incandescent lamp. Though he was, in general, prone to rude tendencies.
William Murdock's cool thing he did (1792)
Karl Benz's internal-combustion automobile engine (1885)
Liverpool and Manchester Railway (1830)
Began the first regular commercial rail service
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.
First steam-powered mill (1779)
Crompton's "mule" + Spinning jenny and water frame fully automated weaving process. Yeah.
Charles Babbage (1834)'s analytic engine
Richard Arkwright's water frame (1769)
More efficient thread spinning
First transatlantic cable completed
1858
Marc Brunel's first underwater tunnel (1826-1842)
Jethro Tull (1708)'s mechanical seed drill
Helped plant crops
Michael Faraday (1831)'s discovery of electromagnetic currents
Made generators and electrical engines possible
Made communicating across long distances much easier, but such conversations still had to be done in public, etc.,
Eiffel Tower (1889)
For the World Exposition in Paris
Samuel F. B. Morse's telegraph and Morse Code (1837)
This would allow for long-distance communication
Gugliemo Marconi (1896)'s wireless telegraph patent
First occurred in 1850. Gasoline is an important fuel source.
James Watt's efficient steam engine (1765)
Henry Bessemir's steel converter (1854)
Revolutionized the production of steel
John Kay (1733)'s flying shuttle
Tremendously helped with making weaving easier, used in the putting-out industry at first.
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.
Joseph Monier (1849)
