3. The spread of mass production methods (throughout the 1900's)

The roots of mass production lie in the 1800's, but its introduction on a wide scale belongs to the 1900's and began with the work of automaker Henry Ford. The ability to produce massive quantities of standardized, complex items on an assembly line at low cost made even the relatively impoverished industrialized regions far richer in material goods than the elites of many preindustrial societies.

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Terry S. Reynolds is a Professor of History at Michigan Technological University. His Top 10 list focuses on the most significant developments in technology. "No other invention had so wide an influence during the 1900's," says Professor Reynolds of his top pick--the automobile.

1.

The impact of the automobile (throughout the 1900's)
2. The development of the airplane (throughout the 1900's)
3. The spread of mass production methods (throughout the 1900's)
4.

The rise of radio and television (mid-1900's)
5. The development of the transistor and related improvements (middle to late 1900's)
6. The development of the computer and the Internet (middle to late 1900's)
7. The development of atomic weapons and nuclear power (mid-1900's)
8. The development of new materials (throughout the 1900's)
9. The institutionalization of invention (throughout the 1900's)
10. The marriage of technology and science (throughout the 1900's)