Changes

Earlier developments in iron allowed many changes to occur, such as the growth of irrigation works and cities. New lands were put into agricultural production thanks to the development of iron and steel. However, one major limitation had been the cost of steel production. This only changed by the 1850s, when steel production, using the Bessemer method and other developed steel technologies in the 19th century, allowed the so-called second wave of the Industrial Revolution that took place in the late half of the 19th century.<ref>For more on the second wave of the industrial revolution, see: Stearns, Peter N. 2013. <i>The Industrial Revolution in World History.</i> 4th ed. Boulder, Colo: Westview Press, pg. 94.</ref>

With the cheaper production of steel, and new alloys developed, steel now was utilized for making railroads more widespread, the telegraph became more prevalent, and steam furnaces also became common. All of these technologies were already developed by the early 19th century; however, none of them were widespread until steel production became cheaper in the second half of the 19th century. Another innovation was that steel could now be used for building production more commonly. This allowed much stronger structures to be built without using too many bricks or cement. In effect, buildings could become lighter. This now allowed, by the late 19th century, the development of taller buildings. The Home Insurance Building in Chicago, opening in 1884, became known as the world's first skyscraper at 10 stories. While earlier iron technologies allowed for more agricultural production, the new steel technologies widely present by the 19th century allowed cities to grow much faster and upwards through cheaper production of steel. By the 1890s, steel led the way in tall building construction, where Chicago now had 20 skyscrapers that were 16-20 stories tall by this time.<ref>For more on skyscrapers and steel, see: Smil, Vaclav. 2005. <i>Creating the Twentieth Century: Technical Innovations of 1867-1914 and Their Lasting Impact.</i> Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press.</ref>

Steel also allowed the widespread production of cooking pots and other household items to be cheap, allowing mass consumerism to take place. New appliances, ranging from refrigerators to kitchen items, now incorporated steel. Larger objects, such as ships and trains, could also be made from steel more easily, allowing a revolution in transportation. With developments in communication and transportation using steel, the modern world was now developing that also fueled the expansion of states such as the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the United States. Steel helped to power states of the early 20th century, where this the greater political and military power powers were fueled by steel production, including battleships and other weapons, helped helping to lead to the tensions that ultimately created World War I and World War II. One can argue, therefore, that modern steel production also led to the key conflicts of the 20th century that have politically shaped our modern world.<ref>For more on the role of steel and other production related to the great world wars, see: Berghahn, Volker R. 2006. <i>Europe in the Era of Two World Wars: From Militarism and Genocide to Civil Society, 1900 - 1950.</i> Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Pr.</ref>