Engines of Change

The rise of machines didn't just change how people worked-it transformed how they lived, thought, and imagined the future. In a matter of decades, the world shifted from quiet villages and hand tools to roaring factories, sprawling cities, and global connections. Steam engines powered trains that shrank distances, textile machines reshaped economies, and new inventions rewired daily life. But with progress came struggle: polluted skies, dangerous workplaces, child labor, and battles for rights that would define modern society. This book takes readers deep into the story of the Industrial Revolution, showing how it reshaped every corner of human life-from labor and politics to science, culture, and the environment. It uncovers the people behind the breakthroughs, the voices who challenged inequality, and the ripple effects that reached across continents. Along the way, it draws out the echoes still felt today in technology, consumer culture, and debates about fairness and the future. Written in a clear, engaging style for a teen audience, it doesn't just recount what happened-it explores why it matters. It reveals how the choices, struggles, and dreams of the industrial age continue to shape the world every reader lives in now.