Expansion of Industry

Factor 1: Abundant Natural Resources

A. Which resources played crucial roles in industrialization? 

Oil, coal, iron

B. How did Edwin L. Drake help industry to acquire larger quantities of oil?

 Edwin L Drake helped industry to acquire larger quantities of oil by using a steam engine to drill. He was the first to discover that removing oil from under the earth's surface was practical. 

C. How did the Bessemer process allow better use of iron ore?

The Bessemer process allowed better use of iron ore by injecting air into molten iron to remove carbon and other impurities. This was a quicker, more accurate process of using iron ore in different products so by 1880, 90% of American manufacturers were using this method to produce the nation's steel.

D. What new uses for steel were developed at this time?

Machines, barbed wire, railroad tracks, bridges, and large buildings (skyscrapers)


Factor 2: Increasing number of Inventions

A. How did Thomas Alva Edison contribute to this development? 

Edison contributed to this development of increasing the number of inventions by improving upon the idea of incandescent light bulb & also created an entire system for producing & distributing electrical power.

B. How did George Westinghouse contribute to it? 

George Westinghouse contributed to Edison's experiments by adding innovations that made electricity safer and less expensive.

C. How did Christopher Sholes contribute? 

Christopher Sholes contributed by inventing the typewriter.
D. How did Alexandar Graham Bell contribute? 

Alexander Graham Bell contributed by inventing the telephone.