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The first industrial sector is the mining industries that find and produce raw materrials. Here the new United states had an advantage over other Europeans countries, except Russia, because it has used deposits of many metals, including Iron. And by far the most important was the iron and steel industries--the core of heavy industry. And some were increased near coal fields. Of coures mining is needed to get the ores, but mining is important in many countries that are not induatrialized. Iron and steel became the sinews of an industrial nation. Iron is important not only because of its inhrent strength, but because it is very common in the earth's crust. A reltively high melting point require a certain level of technologcical advance. Iron production is often associated wih coal. The American iron and steel industry began during the colonial period, largely because Britain hadused most of its forests to produce ships and iron. Until the developemnt of the railroads, procucing iron was economically useless unless first wood and then coal was located nearby. This povided the foundation for iron and steel industries. Mining was increasingly important after the Industrial Revolution began and iron began replacing wood in construction. Actually the inital settlement was motivated by gold. When gold and silver were mot found in quantity, metals had to be imported thrioughout the colonial period, although iron ore, copper deposits and coal began to be exploited on a limited level by the time of the Revolution. This changed with independence and the onset of the Idustrial Revolution. The Iron and Steel complex is at the center of any industrial economy. Iron and steel were central to railroad development and the railroads were a major development leading the country's heavy industrial development. Railroads required steel and vast quantities were needed to run rail lines across country the size of the United States. Andrew Carnegie played a key role in the steel industry. Cornelius Vanderbelt helped launch the rairoad industry and John P. Morgan helped rationalize it. Andrew Carnegie played a key role in the developmnt of the American steel industry. As America developed an industrial econmomy, many other metala were needed. A range of metals were need for high-quality steel alloys. Another important metal was copper. Thomas Edison founded the electonics/electrical industry in the late-19th century whicn hugely increased the need for copper. By the end of the century, American industry surpassed the European powers. Steel has been the major component in weapronry. This made the United States a potentially significant military power. but except for the civil War, the United States was disenclined to spend on a major military. This contrasted sharply with Europe. At about the turn of the 20th century, the urban population began to dominate and America became the world's major industrial country. A new metal became important in the early 20th century--alluminum. And as a result of World War I it began to become an important industrial metal.
A new metal became important in the early 20th century--alluminum. Early aviators did not use aluminum. It was hard to obtain and expensive. American automobile manufaturers began to consider it, but turned away after prices increased during World War I. And as a result of World War I, howevr it began to become an important industrial metal. Count Zepplin used it to builds his famouus Zepplin air shios. And Hugo Junketrs used it tobukld an all metal monoplane for the most part, however it was used to manufacture munitions, fuses, flairs, and various personal kit items. It was also used as a deoxidizerb in steel production. The demand for aluminum soared during the war as did the price. [Hanners] Most World War I aircraft were wood and canvas creations. Bernard Baruch, the chairman of the American War Industries Board, "Not
enough aluminum could be produced to supply the war needs of ourselves and the Allies and at the same time supply normal civilian requirements. Hence the control to be exercised by the board had to be directed chiefy to two problems: Control of distribution and control of prices. The board also assisted the Aluminum Co. of America in securing power for increased production and encouraged the recovery of secondary metal from scrap." Prices collapsed after the War, but baluminum was on its ways to becoming ann imortant industrial metal. As imprtant as aluminum was during World War I, its importance increased may fold during World War II. This time it was primarily because for the Allies it was such an important part of the air war and by this time, aluminum was virtually synnonamous with both aircraft and air craft engines. President Roosevelt had a special afinity for the Navy, but saw early on that the air war would be ctitical in any comung war. He leftb it up to Army Air Corps commander Hap Arnold as to what kind of aircraft, but from an early point he began to speak of very large numbers. The Axis dismissed them and even many in the military did not believe them practical. And he gave priority to aircraft in very limited defense appropriations. It is not entirely clear why the President was so intent on aircraft even before the actual war, but we suspect he, like the British, saw it as a way of limiting casualties. He is known to have said that "Battleshios are not going to stop German Panzers." Thus the production of aluminum became a vital part of the American Arsenal of Democracy which would exceed the President's projections by a wide margin.
Another important metal is copper. Native Americans mined copper digging pits on the Keweenaw Peninsula of northern Michigan from a very early pont (3000 BC). Copper has been mined in many different states.
Copper mining in the United States has been an important industry since the rise of the northern Michigan copper fields. The first successful copper mine was the Cliff Mine, began operations (1845) and many others soon followed. Thomas Edison founded the electonics/electrical industry in the late-19th century whicn hugely increased the need for copper.
The first industrial sector is the mining industries that find and produce raw materrials. Here the new United states had an advantage over other Europeans countries, except Russia, because it has used deposits of many metals, including Iron. And by far the most important was the iron and steel industries--the core of heavy induistry. And some were increased near coal fields. Of coures mining is needed to get the ores, but mining is important in many countries that are not induatrialized. Iron and steel became the sinews of an industrial nation. Iron is important not only because of its inhrent strength, but because it is very common in the earth's crust. A reltively high melting point require a certain level of technologcical advance. Iron production is often associated wih coal. The American iron and steel industry began during the colonial period, largely because Britain hadused most of its forests to produce ships and iron. Until the developemnt of the railroads, procucing iron was economically useless unless first wood and then coal was located nearby. This povided the foundation for iron and steel industries. Mining was increasingly important after the Industrial Revolution began and iron began replacing wood in construction. Actually the inital settlement was motivated by gold. When gold and silver were mot found in quantity, metals had to be imported throughout the colonial period, although iron ore, copper deposits and coal began to be exploited on a limited level by the time of the Revolution. This changed with independence and the onset of the Idustrial Revolution. The Iron and Steel complex is at the center of any industrial economy. Iron and steel were central to railroad development and the railroads were a major development leading the country's heavy industrial development. Railroads required steel and vast quantities were needed to run rail lines across country the size of the United States. Andrew Carnegie played a key role in the steel industry. Cornelius Vanderbelt helped launch the rairoad industry and John P. Morgan helped rationalize it. Andrew Carnegie played a key role in the developmnt of the American steel industry. As America developed an industrial econmomy, many other metala were needed. A range of metals were need for high-quality steel alloys. Steel has been the major component in weapronry. This made the United States a potentially significant military power. but except for the Civil War, the United States was disenclined to spend on a major military. This contrasted sharply with Europe. At about the turn of the 20th century, the urban population began to dominate and America became the world's major industrial country.
Hanners, Richard. Montanna Aluminum, Chapter 10 (2017).
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