What Part Did Glasgow Play In The Industrial Revolution?

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Glasgow's merchants imported cotton, sugar and tobacco from America and then exported it to Holland, France, Germany and other European countries. It became a major trading hub and the third largest city in U.K. With the advent of steam power, the rich merchants of Glasgow established textile mills. Glasgow also became a major shipbuilding center and by mid 1830's half of Britain's steam ships were built there.  In 1840, the river Clyde was made more navigable and the center of Glasgow was made more accessible to big ships. A network of railways connected it to all the big industrial cities of England.

By the end of the nineteenth century Glasgow was making almost all the steam locomotives and ships for the British Empire.