How did James Hargreaves' 1764 Spinning Jenny improve upon traditional spinning wheels?
Answer
It held multiple spindles, spinning several threads at once.
James Hargreaves developed the Spinning Jenny in 1764 specifically to address the thread shortage caused by faster weaving. It represented a direct upgrade to the traditional spinning wheel by incorporating multiple spindles instead of just one. Initially equipped with eight spindles, this device allowed a single operator to spin several threads simultaneously, thereby increasing the sheer quantity of usable thread available to the weaving stage of production. Although beneficial for volume, the initial thread produced by the Jenny was often weaker compared to yarn spun by hand.
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