Tools & manufacturing · 1785

Power loom

Weaving becomes a powered, machine-tended process.

Edmund Cartwright patented a power loom in 1785. After refinement, Britain had over 100,000 power looms by the 1830s.

Arcs above join it to what it stood on, arcs below to what it led to. The bar places this stretch on the tree's whole timeline.

What it built on 2

The dashed line marks when it first worked.

Patents awarded in England, 1700-1851 Latest: 455 patents per year (1851) Source: Our World in Data

Output of key industries in England, 1270-1870 Latest: Coal: 3.77k index (1700=100) (1870) Source: Our World in Data

GDP per capita in England/UK since 1000 Latest: 38.4k int.-$ (2011) (2022) Source: Our World in Data