The Spinning Jenny

industrial revolution · textiles · invention

Eight spindles at once. The spinning jenny could spin multiple threads simultaneously, which was revolutionary because before this invention, people could only spin one thread at a time using a simple spinning wheel.

James Hargreaves' idea. An English inventor named James Hargreaves created the spinning jenny in 1764 and 1765 in a place called Stanhill in Lancashire, England, by combining multiple spindles into one machine.

Changed manufacturing forever. This invention was one of the most important machines of the Industrial Revolution because it allowed people to produce thread and yarn much faster than ever before, which meant more textiles could be made.

Start of factory work. The spinning jenny helped spark the growth of factories because machines like this were so effective that manufacturing moved from homes and small shops into large buildings filled with many machines working together.