Summary: Chapter 9
Page 1: Taking the World Stage
America enters a new century of opportunity, and displays her youthful economic muscle in ways that begin to attract world attention
Page 2: World Class Resources
America is now the world leader in both steel and coal production, setting her firmly on the path to continued strong growth
Page 3: Steel Monsters
As the world race for steel production heats up, Britain holds a strong hand, while Germany is quietly catching up, and battle fleets continue to grow
Page 4: Autos Come of Age
Under the dominant leadership of Henry Ford, American auto production rises steeply, as a multitude of manufacturers compete for market share, and racing promotes innovation
Page 5: Looking to the Sky
Previous attempts at flight have been limited to impressive ballooning feats, but the race is on to develop some kind of winged design, a contest that the intrepid Wright Brothers win
Page 6: Quiet Determination
Scientific achievements today are financed by deep corporate pockets, but the Wright Brothers manage a world-shaking achievement relying only on honest effort
Page 7: Autos Taking Over
Gasoline-powered vehicles are making steady inroads into territory previously dominated by horses, while urban labor unrest begins to make an appearance
Page 8: Machines and their Operators
Every industrial machine needs tending by an 'operator,' male or female, while even children are sometimes used in factories
Page 9: Manufacturing and Retail
Big mills sound the death knell for many quiet rural towns, which are swept away in the quest for manufacturing profits that support urban growth
Page 10: Corporations Get Bigger
Profit centers are railroads, manufacturing, mining and (now) agriculture, as high-rise headquarter buildings begin appearing, with luxurious furnishings on the upper floors
Page 11: Showcase Operation
Some corporations rise to the top through the steady acquisition of rivals, like the National Cash Register Company, which creates a plush dreamscape even workers can enjoy
Page 12: Summer Vacation
Workers toiling in the mechanized environment of factories receive a paycheck to compensate them for their effort, allowing many to enjoy a brief week at the shore
Page 13: Schools Changing Too
Steady improvements in schooling benefit more Americans than ever, from grade schoolers to Blacks, and even women
Page 14: Wood for Homes
As the population soars, the need for new houses and furnishings drives the exploitation of previously virgin pine stands, in Michigan
Page 15: Agribusiness Moves In
Struggling farmers sell out to corporate operators with giant combine threshers, while big livestock operations consolidate in Chicago, and cowboys quietly disappear
Page 16: Making it, out West
Prairie farmers sink deep wells, and ranchers further west depend upon irrigation to grow feed to sustain animals, while Oklahoma opens its doors to a mad land rush
Page 17: End of the Line
As water scarcity limits opportunity, the great western land rush is confined to coastal regions, leaving only mining to sustain life in the sparsely-populated Desert Southwest
Page 18: Frontier Enthusiasm Fades
For 100 years, Americans have been lured west by open land, but difficult farming conditions and isolated mining opportunities are not attracting many newcomers
Page 19: Rounding up the Stragglers
As American population patterns become more static, the last free-roaming Indian tribes are forced to accept confinement in areas most whites don't find attractive
Page 20: Settlement Virtually Complete
With few new arrivals, the West remains half-vacant, while another gold rush attracts hopefuls to Alaska, and sugar interests orchestrate the annexation of Hawaii