Before the 18th and 19th century, people produced their food, clothing, and crops mostly by hand and using small tools. This often required much time and energy. The Industrial Revolution brought about change in the way goods were produced. There were several new inventions that allowed for the mass production of products, especially in the field of agriculture. One such invention was the mechanical reaper.
The mechanical reaper was invented by Cyrus McCormick in 1834. This machine was used by farmers to harvest crops mechanically. For hundreds of years, farmers and field workers had to harvest crops by hand using a sickle or other methods, which was an arduous task at best. The McCormick mechanical reaper replaced the manual cutting of the crop with scythes and sickles. This new invention allowed wheat to be harvested quicker and with less labor force.
