Final answer:
The Industrial Revolution transformed industries with the cotton cloth industry being one of the first to be mechanized. It began in Great Britain due to various reasons, but not because of the lack of food production. James Watt was the inventor of the steam engine that could drive machinery, greatly impacting industrial production.
Step-by-step explanation:
The production of cotton cloth was one of the first industries to be affected by the Industrial Revolution. With the inventions of machines such as the Spinning Jenny and the Spinning Mule, the British textile industry was able to produce cotton cloth more efficiently, reducing labor hours and costs significantly.
The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain for several reasons, but it was not because Britain did not produce lots of food. In fact, the country had an agricultural surplus that made food more available, and this was one of the contributing factors to the Industrial Revolution starting there. Additionally, Great Britain's colonies, natural resources, and a growing population supplied the labor for factories, advancing the industrial surge further.
By 1830, two-thirds of the British cotton industry's workforce were women and children, who were often paid less than men and hence were a more economical labor source for factory owners. This demographic shift highlighted the major changes in labor and society brought about by industrialization.
The steam engine that could drive machinery was developed by James Watt. His improvements to the steam engine revolutionized not just the production of goods but also transportation, aiding the movement of raw materials and manufactured goods and thus enhancing the growth of industries.