Morden Technology

By the end of the Middle Ages the technological systems called cities
had long since become a central feature of Western life. In 1600 London
and Amsterdam each had populations of more than 100,000, and twice that
number resided in Paris. Also, the Dutch, English, Spanish, and French
were beginning to develop global empires. Colonialism and trade produced
a powerful merchant class that helped to create an increasing desire for
such luxuries as wine, coffee, tea, cocoa, and tobacco. These merchants
acquired libraries, wore clothing made of expensive fabrics and furs, and
set a style of life aspired to by the wider populace. By the beginning of
the 18th century, capital resources and banking systems were well enough
established in Great Britain to initiate investment in mass-production
techniques that would satisfy some of these middle-class aspirations.
                            The Industrial Revolution started in England,
because that nation had the technological means, government encouragement,
and a large and varied trade network. The first factories appeared in 1740,
concentrating on textile production (see Factory System).
                             One of the most important innovations in the
weaving process was introduced in France in 1801 by Joseph Jacquard; his
loom used cards with holes punched in them to determine the placement of
threads in the warp. This use of punched cards inspired the British
mathematician Charles Babbage to attempt to design a calculating machine
based on the same principle.