Final answer:
Mass production was enabled by the innovations of the assembly line, standardized parts, and division of labor, augmented by the development of steam power engines which allowed greater factory flexibility and efficiency.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mass production, or the making of large quantities of goods quickly, was made possible by three major innovations: the assembly line, standardized parts, and the division of labor. The assembly line, an idea that revolutionized manufacturing, allowed the production of goods to be broken down into simple, repeatable steps, with each worker specializing in one stage. This significantly increased efficiency and reduced production time. Standardized parts meant that components could be produced en masse and assembled interchangeably in various products, improving consistency and ease of assembly. Finally, the division of labor allowed workers to become highly skilled at specific tasks, further speeding up the production process and decreasing the need for skilled labor overall.
These key developments were supported by other transformative technologies of the Industrial Revolution, such as steam power engines, which drove machinery in factories disconnected from waterways, thus providing greater flexibility in factory locations. Steam power engines played a crucial role in both manufacturing processes and transportation, vastly enhancing productivity throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.