Summary: Technology Late
Page 1: Industrial Era Begins
The change driving all others is the increasing usefulness of steam-powered equipment, which first revolutionizes travel, then manufacturing processes
Page 2: Adding Coal to the Mix
Railroads make it easy to extract large amounts of coal, which quickly replaces firewood as the primary fuel, and enables a sudden surge in iron production
Page 3: Manufacturing Boom
Coal-fired steam boilers can be installed anywhere, providing the power to drive machine tools and factory equipment, and accelerating manufacturing activity everywhere
Page 4: Blast Furnaces and Rolling Mills
Coal quickly replaces charcoal as the dominant fuel used to smelt iron, which is in high demand for virtually all forms of commercial activity
Page 5: Technology on Display
America's 100th anniversary coincides with the burst of economic vitality unlocked by the marriage of iron and coal, and the country celebrates with its first industry expo
Page 6: Cheap Steel
The Bessemer process makes it suddenly easy to convert iron into its more durable form, steel, which allows larger structures, and bigger machines
Page 7: The South is Left Behind
New industrial manufacturing activity is appearing everywhere in the North, while the South lacks the capital to finance similar growth, and is left behind
Page 8: Urban Factories
Railroad connections are key to business growth, as urban centers develop at virtually every major rail hub, especially in the fast-growing Midwest