Reconsideration of American Industrial Revolution

Research Project

Project/Area Number	08630080
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Economic history
Research Institution	Keio University
Principal Investigator	OKADA Yasuo Keio University, Economics Dept.Professor, 経済学部, 教授 (90051482)
Project Period (FY)	1996 – 1998
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 1998)
Budget Amount *help	¥1,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000) Fiscal Year 1998: ¥500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000) Fiscal Year 1997: ¥500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000) Fiscal Year 1996: ¥800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000)
Keywords	Industrial Revolution / Transfer of Technology / Factory / Putting-Out System / Artisans / 徒弟制 / スレイタ-工場 / センサス史料 / 経営史料
Research Abstract	The research was focused upon Slater Mill at Pawtucket, Rhode Island, the first factory in the United States. The papers of Almy and Brown, which invested in the factory, were the major source materials. The American Industrial Revolution started in the Slater Mill in 1790. This view may seem rather dated, but it is still the standard interpretation in textbooks, and Samuel Slater, who constructed the first waterpowered machinery in America, is usually called the father of American manufacturing. However, the contribution of local artisans in Pawtucket should not be forgotten. Since the machine in a factory is a system, not only water-frame but other parts were quite important. At the same time, Slator's factory produced only cotton yarn, and preparation, weaving, and finishing had to be done by hand. Young women prepared cotton by hand under the putting-out system, young apprentices did weaving in a central shop, and indipendent artisans finished the product using traditional methods. Slater Mill thus embodies the continuity and discontinuity of American industrial Revolution.