Imagination
and a Pile of Junk
The Industrial Revolution, late 18th to early 19th centuries, was a
period of major innovation that
transformed predominantly farming and rural communities in Europe and the U.S.
into mechanized societies. Major developments
included the invention of as the steam engine, locomotive, telegraph, cotton
gin, spinning jenny, the sewing machine and other devices. That’s one type of a
revolution.
Here’s another:
The word "revolution" can
refer to what happens when people rebel against perceived oppression occurring
because of a fundamental and relatively sudden change in power.
Not everyone was happy with the
Industrial Revolution.
Examples:
In 1811 a group who called themselves Luddites opposed the introduction of new automated looms and knitting frames in
England claiming they threatened their livelihoods. After many skilled textile
workers were replaced by machines, Luddites broke into factories and destroyed
all the machinery. The British government responded with military force and
harsh legal penalties. Some Luddites were deported, and others executed.
Then there were the Thresher Riots
(1830s):
Agricultural advancements introduced
mechanical threshing machines in rural England and farm laborers feared these
machines would replace manual labor, leading to widespread unemployment.
Rioters destroyed threshing machines and other agricultural equipment. The
unrest was part of the larger "Swing Riots," where rural workers protested
various other labor-saving devices.
Opposition to the Spinning Jenny
(1760s):
Invented by James Hargreaves, it
significantly increased yarn production in the textile industry and
hand-spinners saw the machine as a direct threat to their traditional craft and
livelihoods. Mobs gathered together
destroying Hargreaves machines and ran him and his family out of town.
Cotton Gin:
While there was opposition to the
cotton gin when it was first introduced in the late 18th century, it was non-violent.
The cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney in 1793, revolutionized cotton production
by mechanizing the separation of cotton fibers from seeds, making it much
faster and more efficient than manual methods
Some plantation owners and farmers
resisted adopting the cotton gin because they feared it would lead to a surplus
of cotton, driving prices down. This concern was particularly relevant in
regions where cotton was a major crop.
The cotton gin reduced the need for
manual labor which threatened the
livelihoods of enslaved workers who were previously employed in this
labor-intensive task.
Whitney also faced numerous
challenges in protecting his patent rights for the cotton gin. Competitors
attempted to replicate or modify the invention without permission, leading to
legal disputes and controversies.
“Gin” was just a name that was
commonly used to refer to an engine.
Now the invention of the sewing
machine is truly a tale filled with innovation, competition, rebellion and
intrigue, centering around several key figures who played crucial roles in its
development.
In 1830, a French tailor invented the
first practical sewing machine, which used a single thread and a hooked needle
to create a chain stitch. Thimonnier's machine worked well – too well. After opening a
factory to use his machines to make uniforms for the French army, it was
pitchforks and torches as angry mobs of French tailors fearing Thimonnier’s
machine would put them out of work, stormed his factory, burned it down to the
ground, and destroyed all his machines. The inventor barely made it out in time
with his life. The destruction of his factory obliterated Thimonnier’s business
and ruined him financially. He struggled with poverty for the remainder of his
life and never fully recovered from the financial and personal losses he
endured due to the attack. He died in poverty in 1857.
Ironically, about this time American
inventor named Walter Hunt, also designed a lockstitch sewing machine. Hunt's
design was innovative, utilizing two threads and a shuttle to form the stitch. The
design was a success, but he never
applied for a patent. He believed his machine if widely adopted would leave to massive layoff of tailors and seamstresses.
Perhaps he heard what happened to Thimonnier ?
Now Elias Howe was not
as concerned about potential protests and the American mechanic is credited with
inventing the first modern sewing machine. In 1846, Howe received a patent for
a machine that used a similar lockstitch mechanism to Hunt's but included
several crucial improvements.
Howe’s original idea was to follow
the model of the ordinary needle with and have the eye at the heel, until he
had a very weird dream: (Ready?)
He
dreamed he was building a sewing machine for a savage cannibal king
and the monarch gave him just
twenty-four hours in which to complete the machine and make it sew – or else. Howe worked feverishly (in his dream) trying to avoid becoming breakfast, but time was running out and the placement of
the needle eye still perplexed him. With his guards jabbing him in the butt
marching him towards the stew pot, he noticed their spears were pierced near
the head. Instantly came the solution. He woke up; it was 4 o'clock in the morning. Howe jumped out of bed, ran to his workshop, and
by 9 a.m., a needle with an eye at the point had been crudely modeled. After
that it was easy.
Despite the ingenuity of his
invention, however, Howe could not find
financial backing nor was he able to market his machine successfully on his own.
For some unknown reason, he thought he might have better luck securing financing abroad, so he left for
England.
Upon returning to the United States and
still without investors, Howe found that several others, most notably Isaac
Merritt Singer, had developed sewing machines strikingly similar to his
patented design. Singer, a savvy businessman and inventor, had made significant
improvements to the machine's practicality and had begun selling his version
widely. This led to a fierce legal battle between Howe and Singer, which
ultimately resulted in Howe's favor. Singer was ordered to pay Howe royalties
for every sewing machine sold, which made Howe a wealthy man. It's estimated
that Howe earned around $2 million in royalties during his lifetime. This
amount would be equivalent to tens of millions of dollars today.
These examples illustrate how
technological advancements, while often beneficial in the long run, can disrupt
existing industries and livelihoods, leading to fear and sometimes violent
resistance from those affected. The saga of the sewing machine and other
inventions are storied testaments of technological advancement but also of
human perseverance, conflict, and ingenuity. The combined contributions of
Thimonnier, Hunt, Howe, Singer, and Whitney among others, had a profound and lasting impact on our society.
And while new machines and technologies
disenfranchise some, they often have
a ripple effect creating new needs, demands and jobs that had not existed previously.
“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk." -
Thomas Edison
Meme:
Howe received a patent in 1851 for an
"Automatic, Continuous Clothing Closure". Perhaps because of the
problems he incurred marketing his sewing machine, he abandoned the project.
Too bad. Had Howe worked to improve this invention he could have been known as
the Father of the Zipper. Then again, he really did not need the money.
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