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julianeon · 2023-01-18 · Original thread
> As far as I know, the Industrial Revolution started with coal mining.

I don't think that's correct. If you are looking for a one-sentence "how did the Industrial Revolution start" summary, I wouldn't use this.

My recollection was that things kicked off with the first mechanized mills, locating along streams which used hydraulic or steam power for their energy.

EDIT: The book describing this is called Behemoth: The History of the Factory by Freeman. You can read read relevant pages in the book preview online.

https://www.amazon.com/Behemoth-History-Factory-Making-Moder...

Checking Wikipedia, that seems mostly accurate:

> Rapid industrialization first began in Britain, starting with mechanized spinning in the 1780s,[21] with high rates of growth in steam power and iron production occurring after 1800.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Revolution

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