What the Industrial Revolution Did For Us
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- Episode
- On the Move
- Broadcast Info
- 2003 (29 mins)
- Description
- In a new six part series, Dan Cruickshank explores one of the most inventive and surprising periods in history.
In 1750 transport was as basic as it had been during the time of the Romans; less than 100 years later, Britain was the hub of locomotion on which the world turned. Dan Cruickshank discovers how it happened and who was responsible: John Loudon MacAdam gave Britain her first decent roads, James Brindley died of exhaustion building his legacy: a canal network that allowed millions of tons of goods to be moved cheaply. Meanwhile, mechanical engineers looked for ways to supersede the horse using the power of steam. Richard Trevithick is the unknown genius who invented the first automobile and railway locomotive, but it was George Stephenson who knew how to sell steam power to the world. His locomotive ‘Rocket’ heralded the railway age and secured Britain’s place at the centre of the modern industrial world.
Industrial Revolution transport MacAdam John Loudon road network Brindley James canal network mechanical engineers steam power Trevithick Richard automobile locomotive Stephenson George Rocket steam train - Genre
- History; Design; Technology
How to cite this record
The Open University, "What the Industrial Revolution Did For Us". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ou/search/index.php/prog/6778 (Accessed 10 Jan 2025)