Iron and Steel Production in 19th Century United States Quiz

Region and Industry Development

• The region of western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio became an important ore-producing locale and a center of steel production.

Furnace Materials and Design

• Until the Civil War, iron and steel furnaces were mostly made of stone or brick.
• In the 1870s, furnaces were redesigned to be larger and more efficient.

Development of Steel Production

• The Bessemer process, developed by Henry Bessemer, allowed for mass production of steel.
• The Bessemer process contributed to the emergence of the steel industry in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio.
• The process for converting iron into steel was also developed by Robert Mushet.

Factors and Materials Used

• The availability of iron ore and coal deposits contributed to the emergence of the steel industry in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio.
• Bituminous coal was initially used as fuel in the new forms of steel production.

New Centers and Transportation Systems

• New centers of steel production grew up near the important ore-producing locales in the United States, including western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio.
• The steel industry in the Great Lakes region was served by new transportation systems, including railroads and ships.

Lubrication and Petroleum

• The steel industry's need for lubrication helped create the petroleum industry in the late nineteenth century.
• Petroleum reserves in western Pennsylvania were primarily used for lubrication in the late nineteenth century.