Steam Engine. History Research Paper Assignment.

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STEAM ENGINE
The steam engine was a machine that was used in the 18th century during the British Industrial Revolution. A steam engine is a heat engine that does mechanical tasks using steam as its working fluid. This engine utilizes the force that is produced by the steam pressure to push the piston inside the cylinder. The invention of the steam engine changed the world a lot. With time, the engine became smaller and more effective. Large steam engines were used in factories to power other machines. Smaller engines were used to transport goods from one place to another. During this era, the steam engine assisted in maximizing production, minimizing time and cost, and labour. This was the most important machine in the industrial revolution. The steam engine brought a lot of changes in European society. The steam engine was used in the transportation of goods and service, generation of electricity, heating, and travelling. The invention of the steam engine revolutionized society by enabling jobs to be done faster and more efficient.
The steam engine was used by the Cornish miners to remove water from the mineshafts. The steam engine was an engine that was used by people with different careers. During the industrial revolution, the steam engine was not only used in mining but it was also used in pumping water from the deep mines. The engine was mainly used in industries and factories. One of the main challenges the Cornish miners experienced was flooding in the mines. Sometimes the miners were forced to close down the mines until the water was pumped from the mining shafts (Nakamaki, Koichiro, Izumi Mitsui & Takeuchi 10). The steam engine had the capability of raising water from the bottommost parts of the deep mines. This prevented the closure of the miners because minerals were very important in the development of the economy. The steam engine was developed by the Cornish mining industry. Consequently, since coal could not be found in Cornwall, it would be transported from Newcastle and Wales. The transportation of coal from these places was very expensive so the steam engine was needed by the Cornish miners because it used less coal. These engineers invented the steam engine which was able to withstand high steam pressures. Not only did the steam engine prevent the closure of the mines it also provided faster techniques of mining compared to the traditional methods.
The steam engine was used in the textile industry. There were a lot of problems that the merchants experienced in the textile industry. The textile industries were traditional and they used water as the main source of power. For example, the domestic system was not convenient for traders. They also used animals for transport but they were expensive to take care of because they needed care and food. The textile industry was the main source of income in Europe so engineers were supposed to come up with a machine that could improve productivity and minimize costs. The industry experienced a lot of difficulties in maintaining the schedules for completing jobs. Additionally, workers could sell some products and keep the profit for themselves. After the industrial revolution, the demand for clothes increased and the merchants had to compete for workers because there was inadequate labour (Baby). As the merchants wanted to get more workers, the costs of production continued to increase. This made the traders turn to machines that were powered by the steam power for effective and efficient production. The steam engine was reliable for the merchants because goods could be produced faster. Additionally, the machine did not cause any accidents to the workers. Moreover, they were able to produce a variety of products and this improved life. Although the steam engine was expensive in the 1800s, the cost of steam decreased with time (Heaton 34). This led to an increase in productivity in the textile industries new factories developed.
The steam engine was used in agriculture. Before the revolution, people use animals to transport goods from one place to another. However, with time, people started to use steam power which could move portable engines. The steam engine was used to pump water, clear vegetations, plough, and cultivate lands. This was the greatest invention that was made in the field of agriculture. People started using the steam engine to cultivate the land and this, in turn, improved production. Quantity and quality of commodities started to improve because human labour was no longer used. Farmers were allowed to grow a variety of crops with minimal requirements. However, in the 20th century, farmers started to use petrol tractors which were cheaper and powerful to run (Heaton 46). Use of steam was expensive because farmers were expected to pay for the running costs even though they were not using the engine. Petrol was labour-saving and cheap.
Through the steam engine, the transportation of goods improved. Furthermore, importing and exporting these goods became easier with the use of the steam engine. Before the industrial revolution, traders used horses to transport their goods from one place to another. However, this mode of transport was time-consuming and expensive because the animals required maximum care and food. With the use of the steam engine, transportation of goods became convenient because people could access remote areas. Additionally, use of the steam engine on railroads allowed traders to export and import their goods to other countries more effectively and reliably. Countries were able to exchange different commodities because there were improved distribution and communication channels. However, the prices of commodities varied in different areas because some countries could not be able to produce certain commodities. Effective transportation equalized prices in such areas. Transportation of raw materials also became easy. Ships were also used to transport finished goods and raw materials to different countries. As a result, the economy improved because transportation of commodities was easy. Roads developed because big trucks could carry wide and big loads (Spear 53). Roads were an alternative mean of transport because railways could not make some routes. Transporting goods via road was faster compared to other means of transport. Vehicles were extremely effective because people could afford it. With time horses and donkeys were used to transport goods locally. Additionally, the invention of the steam wagon made transportation very cheap. People could use the steam wagons to travel, deliver goods locally, and transport materials to the market.
The steam engine brought a lot of impact on the coal and iron industries. During this era, the production of iron was very high in the economy such that coal was needed to keep the engines running. To run the engines, steam power was very important so that miners could mine adequate coal. After the industrial revolution, the steam engine was used to mine coal. Count...