Samuel Slater
"Because of you--we have textile mills!" Award
Who was involved with the topic?
Samuel Slater was a skilled mechanic in a British textile mill-- when he heard that Americans were offering money for the plans of British textile factories, he decided to leave Britian.
What did the topic do?
Built the first successful textile mill in America powered by water.
When was the topic used?
1793
Where did the topic have the most impact-- North or South or West? Why there?
North--Slater built his mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Two decades later, there were 165 textile mills in New England.
Why is the topic important enough to be in the history book?
Slater's factory was a huge success. Before long, other American manufatcurers began using his ideas.
How did the topic change American life in the 1800's?
New technology like that used by Samuel Slater helped spark the Industrial Revolution. Child labor became the norm. By the 1830's, 55% of RI's textile workers were children-- earning $1.00 a day.