What innovation made Richard Arkwright's 1769 Water Frame the first powered textile machine?
Answer
Its reliance on water power necessitated placement near rivers.
The Water Frame, patented by Richard Arkwright in 1769, achieved a breakthrough in thread strength using multiple, differently-speeded rollers to draw and twist fibers. Crucially, due to its size and operational requirements, it could not be effectively run by hand, leading its developers to harness water power. This reliance on harnessing natural water flow for motive energy marked it as the first powered textile machine. Placing these machines near rivers established the physical footprint and operational requirement that firmly defined the early factory system.
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