Mill Times

Wool must first be spun into yarn before it can be woven into cloth. For centuries this was done by hand in the home. After being cleaned and prepared, the individual fibers were carefully drawn and twisted into a continuous thin strand and wound around a spindle. The spun yarn was then transferred to looms, on which it was woven into fabric.

The mechanization of spinning and weaving, which resulted in the creation of the textile industry, was part of an unprecedented period of technological innovation known as the Industrial Revolution. It began in England in the middle of the eighteenth century and continued well into the nineteenth century in Europe and the United States.

A new kind of building was designed to house great numbers of these new machines so they could all be run from a central power source. Long, narrow, multi-story structures, some using water wheels, others using steam engines, were built in both England and Scotland. They were called either manufactories or mills.

You are helping build the town of Wicksbridge. 

Beginning in 1810, you will watch a small farming community become an industrial town.

Your job is to listen carefully, draw quickly, and notice how one change creates another.