Just as the Scientific Revolution transformed European views of the natural world, so did the changes in technology and industry that began in the eighteenth century transform their material life.
The topics around which we have centered our discussion of the beginnings of industrialization are:
The key examples have been steam technology, textile machinery, and iron & steel production.
On steam power, there are a number of sites, although most material that you will turn up in searches will deal with railways and locomotives, rather than the important stationary engine developments, such as those of Thomas Newcomen or James Watt. The Steam Engine Library deserves a look, although it requires a bit of effort to explore. One of the works on there, Robert Thurston's History of the Growth of the Steam-Engine, is one of the first important contributions to the history of technology by an American. Take at least a glance at this.
A chemical engineer at Michigan State University has put together an excellent general introduction to the history of steam power. Read at least the overview page on this site and explore some of the linked demonstrations.
You should also check out the following: The Newcomen Steam Engine (good basic explanation of the first real steam engine).
A brief summary of key early developments in the British iron and steel industry can be found at the somewhat eclectic Open Door Web Site. There are actually several relevant pages on this site, so you might take a few minutes to poke around. Another site worth a look, particularly for understanding the emergence of steel as a key material, is found on one of Britain's Open University sites.
Bring to your section and add to your portfolio a short essay discussing the relationship between the development and spread of steam power, on the one hand, and the growth and improvements in iron and steel production, on the other. Two or three paragraphs should suffice -- include specific citations to at least two sources.
