The Bessemer Process

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Bessemer process is the method for making high quality steel quickly and cheaply by blowing air into molten iron to remove impurities. Steel’s uses are numerous and widespread, and it is used in industries from agriculture to technology. “… [Henry Bessemer] invented the Bessemer converter and the so called Bessemer process, from which molten iron could be transformed into high-quality steel quickly and in large quantities” (Finnigan 114). The Bessemer process for creating steel has had a massive effect on our culture, economy, and geography.
The Bessemer process has had one of its largest effects on our culture. When talking about what buildings steel helps to build, it is mentioned that “Steel framing when building arenas and stadiums provides …show more content…

There are many jobs that relate directly to steel production in the United States. “…there appear to be some 130,000 to 153,000 jobs in total in that entire US steel industry” (Worstall). The amount of jobs in the US made by steel production are significant to our economy. Without them, these people would be unemployed. In an article about the changes steel made on society, it is mentioned how the steel industry has changed “American steel production peaked in 1969, when 141 million tons were produced, but the trend of lower labor costs overseas and inexpensive transportation options to bring the steel back to America has pushed production outside of the U.S.” (The Steel Revolution). The United States was in a period of great economic growth in the 1969, and this development was powered by steel and steel giants like Andrew Carnegie, who helped expand the United States “…by endowing educational, cultural, scientific, and technological institutions” (Andrew Carnegie). Beyond just the steel industry, steel produced is used in a multitude of different industries, as mentioned in the previously mentioned article talking about the changes that steel has made on society. “Today, steel is a regular part of many different industries, including transportation, agriculture, healthcare, food service, energy, construction, packaging, automotive, consumer goods, and technology” (The Steel Revolution). Steel is a crucial part of all of these industries, and without the affordable and reliable steel made from the Bessemer process, these industries could not be what they are

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