There were actually two Industrial Revolutions. The first occurred in Great Britain in the mid-17th and early 18th centuries as that nation became an economic and colonial powerhouse.
The second Industrial Revolution occurred in the U.S. beginning in the mid-1800s.
Britain's Industrial Revolution saw the emergence of water, steam, and coal as abundant sources of power, helping the U.K. dominate the global textile market during this era. Other advancements in chemistry, manufacturing, and transportation helped Britain become the world's first modern superpower, and its colonial empire ensured that its many technological innovations spread.
The Industrial Revolution in the U.S. began in the years and decades following the end of the Civil War. As the nation rebuilt its bonds, American entrepreneurs were building on the advancements made in Britain. In the coming years, new forms of transportation, innovations in industry, and the emergence of electricity would transform the nation as the U.K. had in an earlier era.
