Figure 1.--

The need for raw materials have been a factor in history from the earliest times, from the dawn of humanity eons before the advent of civilization. The specific raw materials that have been important have varied over time. Many of the most important raw materials today were unimportant are unknown to modern people. The raw materials of value has changed over time. One material that has been of value has been gold. This was because of its beauty and the fact that it could be found in its elementary form without any need for metallurgy. There are no gold ores. During the Neolithic Era, it was stone and inorganic materials that were of value both as luxury goods and for practical purposes. With the Neolithic Revolution the pace of economic change quickened. Egypt's monumental building required enormous quantities of stone. Mesopotamia rose with vast quantities of clay bricks. This began the quest for metals. The two most important were first copper and than the tin need to make bronze. The result was expanding trade activity at increasing distances and the related military activity. As metallurgy technology improved, iron, a much more common metal, became important. These metals were the important raw materials along with organic materials needed for textiles (wool, flax, and later cotton) as well as leather. Chinese luxury goods and spices led to the European Maritime outreach. The principal goal of the Mercantile Era which was fired by European expansion was to acquire gold and silver. It was the Industrial Revolution that created the need for a wide range of new materials, many of which were unavailable in Europe. And at the same time the industrial revolution created the possibility to transport bulk commodities through rail roads and steamer ships. Coal dominated the 19h century and much of the 20th century. And coal was available throughout Europe and in quantity. With the 20th century a new fuel rose to the surface--oil. This was another substance of little interest. At first it was just needed for kerosene (home lighting) and lubricants. But in the 20th century it became a vital part of the modern economy, especially after Henry Ford and the invention of the internal combustion engine. Oil would play a key role in the history of the 20th century and very little oil was available in Europe. Raw materials have included both organic and inorganic materials. Organic raw materials were vital were vital for Neolithic man despite the vernacular name for the era. Stone was important, but not as important as animal bone, fur, hides, horn, sinews, and much more that could be derived from animal kills. Plants provided vegetable materials bark, fibers, wood, and other materials. Early inorganic materials included clay, flint, obsidian, stone, and other materials. There are limits on organic materials which with the advent of civilization can stress the environment. Thus is generally cited as the reason for the collapse of classical Mayan civilization or coastal Peruvian civilizations. Ancient civilization has been described as metallic eras, the Copper and Bronze Ages, This metals were more important in warfare than in economics. This changed with advance metallurgy and the Iron Age. Iron is much more abundant than copper and tin. Thus over time economic uses developed. With the march of civilization, inorganic materials became increasingly important. This was the case in the ancient world, but is especially the case with the advent of industrial society. One economic historian writes, "The most important change in raw material provision which took place was the substitution of inorganic for organic sources of supply, of mineral for vegetable or animal raw materials. This was a sine qua non of substantial industrial growth on a large scale , for when industrial growth is based on vegetable and and animal raw materials present success can be obtained only at the cost of future difficulties." [Wrigley, p.1.]Industrial society required metals. Metals became important with the Bronze age. But is with the Industrial Revolution that metals became increasingly important. Wooden carts, wagons, and ships were replaced with iron/steel railroads and ships. And as industry expanded and new metals were discovered all kinds of new use were developed by technological advances. Industry had to be powered. Wood could not power industry. More important uses were required most of the limited Supply. Mineral fuels were of no importance until the 19th century. The first major mineral fuel was coal which dominated the 19th century. Oil became vital in the 20th century. Both coal and especially oil also had military importance. Environmentalists seek to develop affordable renewable energy sources. Raw materials have been important in a wide range of wars. Obsidian was important in Meso-American wars. Bronze was vital to Alexander's Greek armies. The steel Roman gladius (sword) was the primary weapon of the Roman legions. Greek fire which appears was derived from oil. Different types of wood were required for the English low bow which was so important in the Hundred Years War. The English/British Royal Navy required huge quantities of wood, especially oak, which essentially deforested Britain. Steel became the back bone of industrial society and modern war. A country without a steel industry to make guns and cannons was unable to wage war. And waging war required fuel, first coal and subsequently oil. Oil was important in World War II, but vital in World War II. That War brought forth another mineral fuel--uranium and the dawn of the Atomic Age.

Chronology

The need for raw materials have been a factor in history from the earliest times, from the dawn of humanity eons before the advent of civilization. The specific raw materials that have been important have varied over time. Many of the most important raw materials today were unimportant are unknown to modern people. The raw materials of value has changed over time. One material that has been of value has been gold. This was because of its beauty and the fact that it could be found in its elementary form without any meed for metallurgy. There are no gold ores. During the Neolithic Era, it was stone and inorganic materials that were of value both as luxury goods and for practical purposes. In Meso-America, obsidian was one of the most valuable materials and powered the rise of Teotihuacán who great pyramids rose north of modern Mexico City. Different kinds of stones including flint were of importance. The great monolithic stones of Stonehenge had to be transported considerable distances. Lumber was also valuable. The transport of stone and lumber (except for luxury woods) limited its value as a trade good. With the Neolithic Revolution the pace of economic change quickened. Egypt's monumental building required enormous quantities of stone. Mesopotamia rose with vast quantities of clay bricks. This began the quest for metals. The two most important were first copper and than the tin need to make bronze. This process began with gold and copper because of their low melting point thus only very basic technology was needed. As metallurgy technology improved, iron, a much more common metal, became important. These metals were the important raw materials along with organic materials needed for textiles (wool, flax, and later cotton) as well as leather. The rest of world trade was slavery and luxury goods. Olive oil and wine were important in Mediterranean trade. The famed Silk Road for example carried mostly luxury goods as did the subsequent maritime Spice Route. Chinese luxury goods and spices led to the European Maritime outreach. The principal goal of the Mercnatilist Era which was fired by European expansion was to acquire gold and silver. It was the Industrial Revolution that created the need for a wide range of new materials, many of which were unavailable in Europe. And at the same time the industrial revolution created the possibility to transport bulk commodities through rail roads and steamer ships. And it is at this time that scientists began to discover all kinds of metals and other elements. Steadily uses for all these new metals were developed with the rise of industry (19th century). And the machinery of the industrial revolution had to be powered. The fuel that powered industry was coal, a substance that was of very little interest until the Industrial Revolution. Coal dominated the 19h century and much of the 20th century. And coal was available throughout Europe and in quantity. With the 20th century a new fuel rose to the surface--oil. This was another substance of little interest. At first it was just needed for kerosene (home lighting) and lubricants. But in the 20th century it became a vital part of the modern economy, especially after Henry Ford and the invention of the internal combustion engine. Oil would play a key role in the history of the 20th century and very little oil was available in Europe.

Specific Materials

Raw materials have included both organic and inorganic materials. Organic raw materials were vital were vital for Neolithic man despite the vernacular name for the era. Stone was important, but not as important as animal bone, fur, hides, horn, sinews, and much more that could be derived from animal kills. Plants provided vegetable materials bark, fibers, wood, AMD other materials. Early inorganic materials included clay, flint, obsidian, stone, and other materials. There are limits on organic materials which with the advent of civilization can stress the environment. Thus is generally cited as the reason for the collapse of classical Mayan civilization or coastal Peruvian civilizations. Ancient civilization has been described as metallic eras, the Copper and Bronze Ages These metals were more important in warfare than in economics. This changed with advance metallurgy and the Iron Age. Iron with its higher melting point required more advanced technology. Iron is much more abundant than copper and tin. Thus over time economic uses developed. With the march of civilization, inorganic materials became increasingly important. This was the case in the ancient world, but is especially the case with the advent of industrial society. One economic historian writes, "The most important change in raw material provision which took place was the substitution of inorganic for organic sources of supply, of mineral for vegetable or animal raw materials. This was a sine qua non of substantial industrial growth on a large scale , for when industrial growth is based on vegetable and and animal raw materials present success can be obtained only at the cost of future difficulties." [Wrigley, p.1.] Industrial society required metals, even though the whole process was launched to produce textiles from organic materials. Metals became important with the Bronze age. But is with the Industrial Revolution that metals became of vital economic importance. Europe had both iron and coal. It is no accident that the Industrial Revolution was launched by Britain which had both. Wooden carts, wagons, and ships were replaced with iron/steel railroads and ships. And as industry expanded and new metals were discovered all kinds of new use were developed by technological advances. Industrial including military uses were discovered various alloys creating hardened steel. And copper began increasing in imprtance as electronics emerged as an imprtant factor during World War I. This was even more true in World War II. Industrial uses were also found for silver which played a key role in the American Manhattan atomic bomb program. The Industrial Revolution created new machinery which had to be powered. Thus fuel rose to be a major economic factor and non-organic fuels were needed. Wood, the orimary organic fuel, was not adequate for the deamds of the industrial era. Wood was expensive because of the labor involved and was already being exhausted in Britain at the time of the Industrial Revolution. More important uses required most of the limited Supply. Mineral fuels were of no importance until the 19th century. The first major mineral fuel was coal which dominated the 19th century. Oil became vital in the 20th century. Electrical power was developed at the end of the 19th cenury and electrical geneatoes were at first mostly -nvBoth coal and especially oil also had military importance. Environmentalists seek to develop affordable renewable energy sources.

Wars

Raw materials have been important in a wide range of wars. Obsidian was important in Meso-Americam wars. Bronze was vital to Alexander's Greek armies. The steel Roman gladius (sword) was the primary weapon of the Roman legions. Greek fire which appears was derived from oil. Different types of wood were required for the English longbow which was so important in the Hundred Years War. The English/British Royal Navy required hufe quantities of wood, especially oak, which essentially deforested Britain. Steel became the back bone of industrial society and modern war. A country without a steel industry to make guns and cannons was unable to wage war. And waging war required fuel, first coal and subsequently oil. Oil was important in World War II, but vital in World War II. That War brought forth another mineral fuel--uranium and the dawn of the Atomic Age.

Sources

Wrigley, E.A. "The supply of raw materials in the industrial revolution," The Economic Gistory Review New Seies Vol. 15, No. 1 (1962), pp. 1-16.

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