NATURAL RESOURCES

     During the Industrial Revolution in Britain, coal was the main source of power. Even before the 18th century, some British industries had begun using the country’s plentiful coal supply instead of wood. Coal was adopted by the brewing, metalworking, and glass and ceramics industries, showing its potential for use in many other industrial processes. (Industrial Revolution)

A  breakthrough in the use of coal happened in 1709 at Coalbrookedale in the valley of the Severn River. There Abraham Darby successfully used coke to produce iron from iron ore. Using coke eliminated the need for charcoal which is a more expensive and less efficient fuel. Metal makers soon after discovered ways of using coal and coke to speed the production of raw iron, bar iron, and other metals. (Industrial Revolution) Darby used coal to "smelt" iron which is seperating iron from it's ore. (Ellis)Coal was also important in the production of iron, which was needed for construction of machines and steam engines. (Ellis)

The most important advance in iron production happened in 1784 when  Henry Cort invented new techniques for rolling raw iron(a finishing process that shapes iron into the desired size and form). These advances in metalworking were an important part of industrialization beacause they allowed iron, which was inexpensive and plentiful to be used in many new ways. One of these ways is in the building of heavy machinery. Iron was well suited for heavy machinery because of its strength and durability. Because of these new developments iron came to be used in machinery for many industries. (Industrial revolution)

"Iron was also vital to the development of railroads, which improved transportation. Better transportation made commerce easier, and along with the growth of commerce enabled economic growth to spread to additional regions. In this way, the changes of the Industrial Revolution reinforced each other, working together to transform the British economy." (Industrial Revolution)

References: http://encarta.msn.com/text_761577952__1/Industrial_Revolution.html

Ellis, Elisabeth G. World History Connections to Today. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005.