['#1 1712 – First steam engine is invented. ... ', '#2 1757 – British victory in the Battle of Plassey. ... ', '#3 1764 – Invention of the Spinning Jenny. ... ', '#4 1771 – Richard Arkwright opens his first factory at Cromford. ... ', '#5 1789 – Samuel Slater leaves for America. ... ', '#6 1794 – Eli Whitney patents the cotton gin.']