The Industrial Revolution began in England during the 1760's.  However, the idea never reached America untill around the 1790's.  Before the Industrial Revolution could start a few things had to take place.  America didn't have a very good system of transportation so good couldn't get to where they needed to be fast.  Also, most people were farmers.  The final reason is that farmers still had to hand remove cotton fiber from the cotton seeds, which took a long time.  Transportation greatly increased when James Watt invented the first steam engine in 1775.  Also,with the first National Road, the Cumberland Road, being opened in 1811 and the invention of the steam boat transportation greatly increased.  In 1794, Eli Whitney invented cotton gin.  Cotton gin seperates the cotton fibers from the cotton seeds, now cotton could be produced at a much faster and cheaper rate.  America was on its way to becoming an industrialized nation.

First steam engine