The Industrial Revolution
was a sweeping transition from agrarian, handmade economies to machine-driven manufacturing. Beginning in Great Britain in 1760, this incredible period of industrialization
had spread to continental Europe and the United States by about 1840 and is often described as the First Industrial Revolution. The Second Industrial Revolution, also known as the Technological Revolution, was a phase of rapid scientific discovery, standardization, mass production, and industrialization from the late 19th century into the early 20th century.
Driving this era of unprecedented growth were individuals responsible for some of the most groundbreaking inventions ever conceived, devices and processes that permanently changed society. In this gallery, we profile the men and women from both sides of the Atlantic who fueled this astonishing revolution. They number famous pioneers to unsung heroes. All, however, utterly transformed our world for the better. Click on to continue reading.