Industrial Revolution (Cromwell the Great)

The Industrial Revolution was the economic and social process that completely altered (i.e. revolution) the economy and society of Europe from primarily agriculture based economy to an industrial one.

Its first wave was primarily the innovation in the production of textiles, iron and steel plus the harnessing of steam power to drive machines.

The cradle of the Industrial Revolution and the first countries to fully exploit its productivity were Britannia and France. These two countries had also previously carried out a successful Agricultural revolution.

France and Britain were closely followed, by its early adoption of steam power, production of iron and steel and factory production, by the Flanders and Dutch Republic,

Late industrial countries and regions were the British colonies in the Americas (mainly New England and in Europe the Scandinavia, various German states standing out Prussia and the Habsburg lands of central Europe, and North of Italy.