The Second Industrial Revolution, from the mid-nineteenth century into the early twentieth century, transformed production, transportation, communication, and daily life. This lesson explores how improved materials and new inventions built on earlier industrial advances.
The Bessemer process, developed in the 1850s, removed impurities from molten pig iron and made mass-produced steel possible. In the 1860s, the Siemens-Martin open-hearth process offered slower production but higher-quality, less brittle steel. By the early twentieth century, it had become the most common steelmaking method. Affordable, stronger steel enabled railroads to use heavier tracks and carry larger loads, and it made ambitious structures such as skyscrapers possible.
All flashcards
What was the Siemens-Martin process?
An open-hearth steelmaking process developed in the 1860s. It was slower than the Bessemer process but produced higher-quality, less brittle steel, and it became the most common method by the early twentieth century.
How did Westinghouse’s air brake work?
It sent compressed air through a line so the train engineer could apply brakes from the locomotive, replacing dangerous manual braking between moving cars.
What made the safety bicycle more accessible?
Its two wheels were the same size, making it accessible to more people than earlier bicycle designs.
What is an internal combustion engine?
An engine that burns fuel with oxygen inside a chamber. Expanding gas then moves a component such as a piston, rotor, or turbine blade.
How did refrigerated railcars change food distribution?
They kept perishable foods cool during transport, allowing meat and other foods to be shipped over long distances without spoiling as quickly.
Quiz questions
What did the Bessemer process do to molten pig iron?Answer: Removed impurities, enabling the mass production of steel.
How did the air brake improve railway travel?Answer: It let engineers apply brakes from the locomotive, improving train safety and control.
Why was the internal combustion engine useful in small workshops?Answer: Its compact size suited places where large steam engines were impractical.
How did electric lighting affect factory work?Answer: It illuminated factories after dark, allowing work to continue later into the night.
What change began with the Meiji Restoration in Japan?Answer: Imperial rule replaced the Tokugawa shogunate and began a period of reform.
Based on World History Volume 2, from 1400 by Ann Kordas, Ryan J. Lynch, Brooke Nelson, Julie Tatlock (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.