What industry was first to industrialize?

Answer 1

England / Great-Britain / the-United-Kingdom was the first country to experience the Industrial Revolution. It was able to do this because able Scotsmen like Mr. Watt developed the Steam-Engine.

A simple answer to the first question might be that Coal-Mining was the first industry to be industrialized (through the introduction of Steam-Power), but a more accurate answer might be that there was no single FIRST industry, but rather their inter-connected development that constitutes the Industrial Revolution:

Steam Engines needed Coal (obtained in greater quantities by improved mining techniques). Coal mines filled with seeping water, and needed to be drained (by improved pumps). Pumps needed to be powered (by improved steam engines). Steam-power was sold to millers and weavers, freeing them from the limitations of water-power. Additional weaving drove the demand for improved looms and other machines. Pumps and Steam-engines drove improvements in Machining-Technologies to make them. Better Machining capabilities made it easier to create other advanced machines. More and better coal improved smelting and led towards better grades of Steel, which was then turned into better grades of machines. Machines were localized in factories. Factories needed employees and wool, so many people were driven from the country-side to work in factories, making fabric from the wool of the sheep that now lived where the people used to. The needs of the sheep drove the development of Animal Husbandry as a Science. Engineering drives Math drives Science drives Engineering. Each new development could allow several other unintended developments.

Answer 2

Textile industry