Which statement best explains how transportation technology advanced the industrial revolution?
With the invention of electricity and new transportation technologies, factories could be built on a large scale and production carried out much more efficiently. This in turn, led to economic growth at an unprecedented rate in a short amount of time and caused huge changes in society.
The development of railway systems during this time allowed goods to be transported much more quickly and efficiently. This helped to speed up the pace of industrialization as it reduced the need for expensive sea transport and created a faster way to distribute goods all over the world.
Another major advancement in this period was the use of steel. The invention of the Bessemer process allowed for the mass production of steel which was a key component in many industries such as construction and locomotives. The production of steel also helped to fuel the growth of the railroad industry as it was necessary for them to build their tracks.
This period saw a huge increase in telecommunications which enabled information to be spread quickly and easily. For example, during the Mexican-American War telegraph lines were able to deliver news from battlefields in the United States to eastern newspapers within days of the battle's ending.
However, this was not a completely positive period as it brought with it a great deal of inequality. This was because the industrialization of society saw wealthy factory owners and those who owned the means of production become richer while those who worked in the factories continued to be poor. The use of coal as a source of energy also contributed to pollution and environmental damage.
