The hottest Industrial Revolution Substack posts right now

The history of various industries from the period 1550-1650 is often overlooked.
There were significant advancements in industries like iron, stockings and silk, saltpetre, glass, brass, and manure during this time.
Exploring the development of these industries can provide insights into key historical innovations and societal changes.

The transition to coal started by finding ways to exploit cheaper coals, leading to innovations like coal-fuelled salt pans.
Lime, often overlooked by economic historians, had a significant impact on agriculture and productivity.
Coal's impact on agriculture increased the availability of grain, resulting in an abundance of muscle power for various industrial tasks.

John Holker was a master of industrial espionage, using his skills to steal British textile technologies for the French government in the 18th century.
Britain was already a leader in European technological development in the 1710s, with industries like iron founding, clock-making, and sailcloth-making.
Holker not only stole technology, but also set up a system to adapt and spread the skills in France, leading to the success of introducing cotton velvet manufacture.

Henry Cort, a key figure in the British Industrial Revolution, may have stolen iron-making improvements from enslaved Jamaican metallurgists.
The origin of Cort's inventions is still debated, with limited evidence to prove the claims made by Jenny Bulstrode in an academic paper.
The narrative presented by Bulstrode requires multiple unproven assumptions and lacks concrete evidence.

Robert Bakewell had an 'improving mentality' when it came to breeding animals, focusing on optimizing profit and efficiency.
Bakewell selectively bred cows and sheep to maximize valuable meat and minimize feeding costs.
The improving mentality led Bakewell to continuously optimize all aspects of his farm, from animal breeding to farm layout and operations.

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Anglesey's Parys Mountain was rich in copper that influenced British economy and naval technology
Thomas Williams, an attorney and Copper King, controlled copper mining in Anglesey and Cornwall
The mining operations at Parys Mountain in 1780 were fascinating but led to environmental degradation

Stories can impact how we understand reality, filtering out information and emphasizing certain aspects.
Historical narratives can sometimes be based on sensational stories rather than solid evidence.
It is important to be skeptical of stories and narratives, especially in academic and scientific contexts.

Medieval peasants had more time off due to frequent breaks, long holidays, and seasonal slow downs in paid farm labor.
Comparing work hours between medieval and modern times may not be accurate as the nature of work and leisure is different.
Historia Civilis' analysis overlooks the harsh realities of medieval life, including torture by landlords and mandatory household chores.

Manufacturing pre-20th century depended on manual operation of conventional machine tools.
Quality of products heavily relied on the personal expertise and interpretation of the machinist.
Training skilled machinists was a lengthy and specialized process, leading to bottleneck in manufacturing.

Technological solutions can sometimes create their own environmental problems.
Historically, solutions to environmental crises have led to new challenges.
Coal played a crucial role in averting environmental disasters in the past, even though it has contributed to environmental issues over time.

The French Revolution led to a shift in power from the church to the state, and the establishment of civil services to govern local lives.
Industrial expansion typically coincided with the growth of civil services in different regions.
The structure of civil services, developed during times of industrialization, has been adopted by big companies and institutions.