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Explores the transition from steam power to electricity, steel, and chemicals that reshaped the global economy.
Imagine a world where the sun never sets on productivity. Before 1870, the world went dark at dusk; by 1900, cities glowed with the hum of electricity and the roar of steel mills—how did three inventions change the way every human on Earth lived?
While the First Industrial Revolution was built on coal and iron, the Second Industrial Revolution () was forged in steel. The Bessemer process, patented in , allowed for the mass production of steel by blowing air through molten iron to remove impurities. This made steel cheaper and stronger than iron. Consequently, steel became the backbone of the modern world, enabling the construction of skyscrapers, longer bridges, and more durable rail lines. Simultaneously, the chemical industry exploded, leading to new fertilizers, explosives like dynamite, and synthetic dyes that transformed the textile industry and warfare alike.
Quick Check
What was the primary technological breakthrough that allowed steel to replace iron as the main building material of the late 19th century?
Answer
The Bessemer process, which made steel production cheaper and more efficient by removing impurities from molten iron.
The transition from steam to electricity was the single most significant shift in energy. Inventors like Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla harnessed electrical power for lighting and machinery. This allowed factories to stay open 24 hours a day and move away from water sources. By the early 1900s, Henry Ford revolutionized manufacturing by introducing the assembly line. By breaking down complex tasks into simple, repetitive motions, production time plummeted. For example, the time to build a chassis dropped from hours to just hours. This led to mass production, making luxury goods affordable for the average citizen and birthing modern consumer culture.
Consider the production of the Model T Ford.
1. Before the assembly line, a group of workers built one car at a time.
2. With the assembly line, the car moved to the worker, who performed one specific task (e.g., tightening a single bolt).
3. Production efficiency increased by approximately , allowing Ford to drop the price from $\$825\.
Quick Check
How did electricity change the physical location and operating hours of factories?
Answer
Electricity allowed factories to operate 24/7 with artificial light and freed them from needing to be located near coal mines or rivers for power.
New methods of communication and transportation effectively 'shrank' the planet. The telegraph and later the telephone allowed for near-instantaneous communication across oceans via undersea cables. In transportation, the internal combustion engine and the expansion of steamship routes meant goods could travel faster than ever. The opening of the Suez Canal () and the Panama Canal () created vital shortcuts for global trade. This integration meant that a crop failure in the American Midwest could immediately affect grain prices in London, creating a truly interconnected global market.
Before the Suez Canal, a ship traveling from London to Mumbai had to sail around the southern tip of Africa. 1. Distance without canal: miles. 2. Distance with canal: miles. 3. Result: A reduction of roughly in travel distance, leading to lower fuel costs and faster delivery of perishable goods.
Analyze the 'Great Deflation' (). 1. Mass production flooded markets with cheap goods. 2. Improved transportation (rail/steam) brought global competition to local farmers. 3. Prices fell globally, causing economic hardship for producers but increasing the 'real wages' and purchasing power of urban factory workers.
Which innovation was most responsible for the rise of skyscrapers and durable rail lines?
What was the primary social effect of Henry Ford's assembly line?
The Second Industrial Revolution led to a decrease in global economic interdependence.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to explain to someone how the transition from iron to steel changed the physical appearance of modern cities.
Practice Activity
Research one major city (like Chicago or London) and find out how its population changed between and as a result of industrialization.