In 1864, French chemist Louis Pasteur utilized a process that
would forever impact the entire world; known as
pasteurization, the process refers to the application of heat to
food and beverages to kill harmful bacteria and
microorganisms. This process has saved millions of lives
throughout history as it prevents the spread of germs from
animals to humans, most notably bovine tuberculosis and
brucellosis. Pasteur first used the process on wine and heated
it to 140 degrees; this allowed wine to avoid spoilage for several
additional days. The process advanced to milk by 1886, and it
first reached the United States in 1890. However, it did not
become widespread until the 1920s. As the germ theory
became more widely accepted, the pasteurization process
started to incorporate any food or beverage that contains
products from animals. Today, virtually all dairy, eggs, and most
processed foods undergo the process. Since this process is
named after Louis Pasteur you might be shocked to discover
that people well before
him used this process
too. In medieval China,
wine makers discovered
this practice, as did
scientists in the late-18th
century, when
experimenting with the
heating and canning of
foods to prevent
spoilage.

How did technology change life in the 19th century?

© History with Mr. E
Specializing in American and World History for late Elementary, Middle, and early High School

2304 red diamonds
rule

The Spinning Jenny
In 1764, Englishman James Hargreaves created a way to rapidly spin
cotton into thread. This thread was then used to create clothing
through the sewing process. He patented the device in 1770 and
called it the Spinning Jenny (a “jenny” was an old English word for
an engine). Before the Jenny, all spinning of cotton into thread or
yarn happened at home in what was called the “cottage industry.”
Employers often brought materials to the homes of their workers
and returned days or weeks later with the expectation that the
work would be complete. All of this took a great amount of time
though, and the Spinning Jenny rapidly increased how fast this
spinning process could be completed. Instead of one set of hands
doing the process of spinning, the Jenny held as many as 24
different spindles to greatly speed up the process. The Jenny was
eventually replaced with the Spinning Mule in 1810 when British
inventor Samuel Crompton improved upon Hargreaves's invention.
As factories were constructed near a water supply, they
incorporated the use of water-power to propel the machinery. The
new model did not require a person to be present and largely used
the water-power to set pulleys and gears into motion. The machine
produced a higher volume of thread than could be done by hand, as
well as thread that was finer and more consistent than ever before.
How did technology change life in the 19th century?

© History with Mr. E
Specializing in American and World History for late Elementary, Middle, and early High School

2304 red diamonds
rule

The Telegraph

In 1837, Samuel Morse stumbled on something revolutionary - a
device that allowed people to communicate across great distances.
He was able to use 1,700 feet of copper wire to transmit electricity
from one end to another, thereby creating an electrical current
capable of relaying messages. The device was called the telegraph,
and while it was revolutionary, it was not yet practical in the United
States since the country lacked the infrastructure needed to support
the invention. The next year, in 1838, Morse began petitioning
Congress to invest in telegraph lines that would stretch throughout
the country. While initially skeptical, Congress eventually allocated
money to build the first telegraph line from Baltimore to
Washington D.C. in 1843. The lines were proposed to be buried
underground but were soon placed on poles to save time. In 1844,
the line was complete and Samuel Morse sent his first message from
the Supreme Court building using a series of dots and dashes called
“Morse Code.” He sent the message, “WHAT HAD GOD WROUGHT”
to friends in Baltimore. The message was delivered almost instantly,
whereas before the forty mile trip would have taken several hours
on horseback. In 1854, inventor Cyrus Field would adopt Morse’s
idea and take on an even larger project - a trans-Atlantic cable that
would stretch along the ocean floor and connect the United States
to Great Britain. The cable was completed in 1866 and connected
the world in ways many could only dream of.
How did technology change life in the 19th century?

© History with Mr. E
Specializing in American and World History for late Elementary, Middle, and early High School

2304 red diamonds
rule

The Steamboat
Like many inventions, the steamboat has a history of
contributors who improved the device over time. In 1769, the
first major improvement was made by Scotsman James Watt
who patented a process to use steam to power and propel
ships. Later in 1787, John Fitch first brought the steamboat to
the United States. However, it was not until 1807 when Robert
Fulton built the Clermont that the steamboat really improved
life in the United States. What made Fulton’s version so unique
was its design and its use of cutting edge technology. For the
first time, the Clermont was able to travel reliably against the
water current. This greatly sped up travel time, and journeys
that used to take days now took hours. Due to the improved
efficiency, shipping costs dropped by over 90% in the United
States. This meant it was far cheaper, and far faster, to send
goods throughout the country. Fulton’s second boat, the New
Orleans, sent trade goods and passengers north and south
along the Mississippi River.
How did technology change life in the 19th century?

© History with Mr. E
Specializing in American and World History for late Elementary, Middle, and early High School

2304 red diamonds
rule

The Steel Plow

The use of the plow in agriculture dates back thousands of
years, even as far back as ancient Mesopotamia. The purpose of
a plow is to loosen the soil in preparation for seed planting.
Without first loosening the soil, seeds will never be able to root
properly. By the early 1800s, many versions of the plow existed.
The first models were made of wood and later advanced to cast
iron parts, however these still dulled quickly and broke often.
In 1837, farmer and inventor John Deere from Grand Detour,
Illinois revolutionized the industry by proposing steel be used in
the plow. Steel was more durable than earlier models and also
prevented dirt from sticking to its surface. By 1849, Deere was
producing 2,000 steel plows a year. By 1857, he expanded his
operations to include nine different models. It is no wonder
why Deere’s steel plow was such a success; before the
improvement, it took a farmer over 24 hours to plow a single
acre. Now, that same acre could be plowed in just five hours.
The steel plow revolutionized crop production by greatly
reducing the time it took to prepare the soil; this, and a number
of other farm-related inventions, set the
stage for massive population growth in
the United States.

How did technology change life in the 19th century?

© History with Mr. E
Specializing in American and World History for late Elementary, Middle, and early High School

2304 red diamonds
rule

The Mechanical Reaper
In 1831, farmer Cyrus McCormick continued the work of his
father and created a device that would rapidly speed up crop
harvesting. The machine was pulled behind a horse (or a team
of horses) and, as its wheels and gears turned, cut down wheat
stalks into neat rows. Before this invention a farmer would use
a scythe to manually cut down the wheat. Even the most skilled
might reap just three acres per day. Now, farmers could
harvest upwards of ten acres per day. McCormick named the
device the Mechanical Reaper and he first demonstrated the
invention at a public gathering in Steeles Tavern, Virginia. Cyrus
hoped farmers would line up to purchase the machine once
they saw it. He was right. Demand increased so quickly that
McCormick started a factory in Chicago to mass-produce the
necessary parts. The success of the Mechanical Reaper
revolutionized the United States, and the world, by rapidly
increasing the speed at which food could be produced. This
allowed the United States population to grow at a rapid pace
by providing a reliable food supply. As a result, it also limited
the potential impact a famine might have on society. Using the information provided please complete the following chart and questions.

 

Invention	Year Invented	Who Invented it?	Where it was invented?	Explain what it is and how it works
 

 

Essay - Please answer in paragraph form-

 

1. How did technology revolutionize life in the 19th century? 

 

 

2. Which of the inventions you read about do you feel is the most important? Explain why in complete sentences