Reconsideration of American Industrial Revolution

这项研究的重点是位于罗德岛波塔基特的斯莱特磨坊，这是美国的第一家工厂。投资该工厂的Almy and Brown公司的论文是主要的材料来源。美国工业革命于1790年在斯莱特磨坊开始。这种观点可能看起来相当过时，但它仍然是教科书上的标准解释，而塞缪尔·斯莱特，他建造了美国第一台水力机械，通常被称为美国制造业之父。然而，不应忘记波塔基特当地工匠的贡献。由于工厂里的机器是一个系统，所以不仅水架而且其他部件都很重要。同时，斯莱托的工厂只生产棉纱，准备、织造和整理都必须手工完成。年轻的妇女在生产制下手工制棉，年轻的学徒在中央商店编织，独立的工匠用传统方法完成产品，斯莱特磨坊因此体现了美国工业革命的连续性和间断性。

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.