What does industrial mean in history?

Answer 1

In general terms "industrial" means that persons use another mechanism other than shovels & plows to help them produce a product or the materials to make a product. Here are some examples from various parts of history:

A. The drill & rigging for an oil tower is used to extract crude petroleum from the earth. The crude petroleum is then used for the production of gasoline, grease, and heating fuel. This was developed in the 19th century;

B. Seeds from cotton were once extracted by hand. The invention of the cotton gin in the late 1700's removed the cotton seeds by using this new machine;

C. Clothing and other fabric materials were once woven into clothing by a foot driven spinning wheel. The process became "industrialized" when textile mills powered by the energy produced by waterfalls did many of the clothing making duties by machines that wove much of the raw materials;

D. Sailing vessels were once powered by the wind & oarsmen. The transportation of the vessel itself became industrialized by the invention of the steam engine which powered the vessels. The steam engine was used on land for powering locomotives. Previously transporting goods over land was done on horse back or cart pulling oxen or donkeys.

When a nation's economy is based on manufacturing and other tools for producing goods & services, it is said to be an industrial economy.