Which region of the country has the greatest concentration of railroad lines?
Which region seemed to provide the greatest obstacle to railroad expansion?
Which resource is most common across the country?
Based on the information from the railroad and resource maps you just saw, where would you expect to find most US factories at the turn of the century? Why? (You may want to go back and look again at the maps.)
Most US factories at the turn of the century would be in the Northeast and Midwest. These regions had dense railroad networks that made it easy to bring in raw materials and ship finished goods, and they also had concentrated supplies of coal, iron, and oil needed for industry.
Did you consider any of these factors in your answer?
Between 1900 and 2006, total world steel production decreasedincreased.
According to the tables you read, China was the world’s leading steel producer in 2006. Based on what you know about the changes and resources that helped the United States’ industries to grow, what changes would you expect to be taking place in China? Write your response in a paragraph.
I would expect China to be experiencing many of the same kinds of changes that helped U.S. industries grow. Natural resources are becoming more available, and Chinese industries are finding new sources of raw materials to support steel production. Cities are growing quickly and becoming important centers of manufacturing. These changes in resources and urban growth help explain why China became the world’s leading steel producer by 2006.
Which of these resources were included in your answer?
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