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My theory is that the US was the first modern, stable democracy with a free capitalistic economy, and that spurred the industrial revolution. Individuals had a lot to gain by inventing something new and spiffy, so that helped advace technology more rapidly.

Of course technology advanced in Europe at the same time, so who knows.


I think you'll find that Europe had a bit of a head start on the US during the industrial revolution, when the industrial revolution started in Europe the US was being used largely as a source of raw materials.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_revolution

The US didn't gain independance until part way through the industrial revolution. I'm guessing that they didn't have democracy under British rule ?
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