The city of a thousand trades, or Workshop of the World was a title given to Birmingham, England during the Industrial Revolution, which manufactured everything from pins to motorcars.
Canals played a vital role in Birmingham's development, bringing iron and coal into the city and transporting finished goods out.
In reality this term could be applied to many large British cities during the Industrial Revolution, however, Birmingham's importance in the Industrial Revolution and the vast number of exports and recognized brand names that came from the city's wealth of factories probably makes it an excellent example of a "city of a thousand trades".
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