Some historians say that the first factory was the Venetian Arsenal, which employed thousands of workers in the 15th century and could build 30 ships in 10 days. Samuel Slater (father of the American industrial revolution) got his start by memorizing, then stealing, designs for Richard Arkwright’s yarn-spinning machine.

Some historians say that the first factory was the Venetian Arsenal, which employed thousands of workers in the 15th century and could build 30 ships in 10 days.

Samuel Slater (father of the American industrial revolution) got his start by memorizing, then stealing, designs for Richard Arkwright’s yarn-spinning machine.