<P> The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840 . This transition included going from hand production methods to machines, new chemical manufacturing and iron production processes, the increasing use of steam power, the development of machine tools and the rise of the factory system . </P> <P> Textiles were the dominant industry of the Industrial Revolution in terms of employment, value of output and capital invested; the textile industry was also the first to use modern production methods . </P> <P> The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain, and many of the technological innovations were British . By the mid-18th century Britain controlled a global trading empire with colonies in North America and Africa, and with some political influence on the Indian subcontinent, through the activities of the East India Company . The development of trade and the rise of business were major causes of the Industrial Revolution . </P> <P> The Industrial Revolution marks a major turning point in history; almost every aspect of daily life was influenced in some way . In particular, average income and population began to exhibit unprecedented sustained growth . Some economists say that the major impact of the Industrial Revolution was that the standard of living for the general population began to increase consistently for the first time in history, although others have said that it did not begin to meaningfully improve until the late 19th and 20th centuries . </P>

Where did the first industrial revolution take place