Check out this quiz about the Industrial Revolution and see how well you do.  I got 8 out of 10 right, but I have to admit a serious case of dumb luck as I really had no idea on some that I got right.  I think this quiz is pretty much confined to the IR in America.http://americanhistory.about.com/library/quizzes/bl_industrial_quiz.htm (do the hard one)Then later you can look at this “top ten” chart of top inventors from the era.  I believe all of them are American.