We are all aware of the original industrial revolution that occurred back in the 1770’s, but did you know that there have been two more since then? We are fast approaching another!

The 1st industrial revolution was fueled by the use of steam & water power, and gave us the ability to produce goods that were once handmade in mass quantities. This transformed rural societies into urban and industrialized ones. It was an amazing transformation, and gave us the ability to do things that no one thought possible; and caused the growth of industries such as coal, iron, railroads, and textiles.

The 2nd industrial revolution occurred from about 1870-1914. During this time there was an expansion of electricity, petroleum, and steel. This revolution is often defined by the beginning of mass production in manufacturing and consumer goods. We saw railroads expand across the U.S., and shortly after, automobiles were being manufactured on an assembly line and gaining popularity.

The 3rd revolution began around 1970 with the introduction of computers and electronics. These computers, and the growing technologies associated with them, were now being utilized in factories to automate many of the processes inside machines. This is where we see the 4th industrial revolution begin to emerge.