New+Consumer+Products+Introduced

=__**New Consumer Products Introduced**__= Introduction: The European Industrial Revolution that led to the introduction of many new consumer products marked a significant change in how people worked and how they thought about creating products. In the past, craftsmen created each product by hand, limiting their capacity. During the Industrial Revolution, inspired thinkers turned their knowledge of how to make individual items into processes and machinery to make hundreds and thousands of items. The Industrial Revolution was not only responsible for new products it was also responsible for the increased supply of many existing products. Textile and textile machinery represent the most important and most advanced consumer products category. Although the items they produced were not new products, the way they produced them was new. The different types of machines for the textile industry were…. Power Spinning Machines like the jenny by James Hargreaves solved many problems of roller spinning in the production of yarn to make course cloth. Samuel Crompton created the spinning mule that helped increase the amount of cotton being produced and ended up replacing the jenny over time. The Power Loom was steam powered and mechanically operated version of a regular loom. Edmund Cartwright patented the first loom in Doncaster, England to manufacture cloth. Improvements kept being made to increase productivity and efficiency of the machine. Eventually the loom technology was exported to America in 1813 to advance production within the United States. Other notable items include: Children’s toys, books, shoes and bread making Technology centered around roller spinning was developed to simulate the hand spinning of cotton and wool. The technology behind the jenny made it possible for up to 120 spools to be spinning at once versus two to four spools spinning by hand. The power loom mechanized the weaving process of cotton by replacing the hand movement of thread on a loom. The flying shuttle was a machine that increased the width of cotton cloth and the speed of production of a single weaver at a loom. The technology was resisted by workers because they thought their jobs were at risk, but it simply increased the demand for spun cotton goods.
 * 1.** **What types of products were being produced during the Industrial Revolution?**
 * 2.** **What type of technology was used to make these goods?**


 * 3.** **How high tech were the products being produced?**

The items being produced were not high technology, but the processes were high technology for the times as they took hand work and mechanized the process making it possible for fewer people to make many more of the same item. A single person could operate a machine and produce product that 100 men couldn’t produce in the past.

The machines being produced were constantly being upgraded as the inventors learned more from their use in factories and other inventors came along and improved on original ideas.

The jenny was updated multiple time and then became obsolete.


 * 4.** **Who were the major textile producers in the Industrial Revolution in Europe?**

Richard Arkwright who invented the water-frame spinner established water –driven mills to maximize his invention. He and others created factory environments that brought greater discipline to production. There were shift workers and managers that ensured time was being spent wisely. The factory world put a lot of the smaller manufacturers out of business as they could not compete with the efficiency of the factory. It was bigger business that required more checks and balances in order to pay for the cost of the machinery.


 * 5.** **Who were these products trying to reach?**

These products were being produced for the rising middle class. The upper class could still commission custom items while also purchasing these more available products to round out their needs. And the lower class was still simply working to survive.

The products being produced were not overly expensive, yet durable enough to withstand a daily lifestyle making them perfect for the middle class.


 * 6.** **What type of marketing was being used to communicate about these products?**

The products being manufactured were being sold based on being compared to what had previously been available to the middle class—which was mostly muslin products or select wool products that were very expensive. These newly manufactured products were promoted as lighter and easier to wear clothing than what was most previously available to the middle class. These products were also easily dyed to bring more color to clothing and thus create more fashion.


 * 7.** **Was there any government support for the companies that produced these items?**

All textile production was through private industry without government support.
 * 8.** **What types of laws were put into place to protect against faulty products?**

The mass production concept was so new that no laws existed to protect consumers. In the past, consumers were dealing directly with the maker of the product so if they had a problem they knew who to talk too.


 * 9.** **Who was part of the workforce in producing these items?**

The early textile factories employed children workers but that gradually declined as workers protested and unions attempted to organize to better protect workers and improve factory conditions. Most workers started as children but stayed in the industry as adults.

Goods were exported out of Europe, especially to the United States. Raw materials like spun thread increased dramatically as well many ideas that were replicated in America after being founded in Europe.
 * 10.** **Were goods exported out of the country?**

=__**Bibliography**__=

"Industrial Revolution."//Europe, 1450 to 1789: An Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World//. Jonathan Dewald, ed. 6 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004. Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. [|http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC/]

"//Industrial Revolution// by C. A. Beard (excerpt)." //DISCovering World History//. Online Edition. Gale, 2003. Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. [|http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC/]

Bellis, Mary. "Power Loom - Edmund Cartwright Invented the Power Loom." //Inventors//. Web. 28 Sept. 2009. .

"The Industrial Revolution of the Eighteenth Century." //Washington State University - Pullman, Washington//. Web. 28 Sept. 2009. .

"81.02.06: The Industrial Revolution." //Yale University//. Web. 28 Sept. 2009. .