jan 1, 1801 - Invention of Interchangeable Parts

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Interchangeable parts, the idea being of all individual pieces of a machine being produced identically, was introduced in 1801 by Eli Whitney. This meant that the final products would be identical copies of each other, making replacing a single broken part much easier. The idea of interchangeable parts was a driving factor of the Industrial Revolution and helped mass-manufacture newly developed inventions such as steam engines, electromagnetic motors, and combine harvester. While this development increased productivity and eased costs of American expansion, it also had the effect of driving highly skilled craftsmen out of work.

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