LIFE IN ANTEBELLUM AMERICA 1807 1861
THE TRANSPORTATION REVOLUTION TURNPIKES TO STEAMBOATS TO RAILROADS
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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wood
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steel
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coal
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None of the above
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Detailed explanation-1: -Before about 1860, steel was an expensive product, made in small quantities and used mostly for swords, tools and cutlery; all large metal structures were made of wrought or cast iron.
Detailed explanation-2: -In general, due to its increased strength properties, steel is used more often than iron in large-scale industries like construction. It’s more durable and won’t rust as easily, and also has better tension and compression properties.
Detailed explanation-3: -The earliest known steel is about 4, 000 years old and was excavated in Turkey. Roman, Iberian and Chinese civilisations used steel to construct weapons. However, these ancient civilisations had yet to master methods of producing steel and so its uses were limited and subject to very long production times.