The Role of Iron the Colonial America

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1 An Analysis on the Role of Iron and Iron Works in the Development of British Colonial America Key Term: Iron Reference: Early American Imprints, Series I: Evans, 1639–1800 1 Iron is a marvelous and fascinating material. It is perhaps one of the most important resources in the development of various societies in early modern history simply due to the sheer versatility and use of the material. No matter where civilizations arose, those that had access to iron and iron industry were always at an advantage. Iron nails facilitate the rapid growth and expansion of societies, iron tools allowed these societies to cultivate and function with much greater ease, and iron weapons provided great advantages to those who were able to utilize them for defense. To understand the manufacturing and distribution of iron and iron products within a civilization is to know the very pulse of that civilization. Studying the role of iron in colonial North America leads to not only an understanding of that specific industry, but also to an intrinsic understanding of the political, economic, and social climates of the time. The study of the history of iron and iron works in colonial North America leads directly to understanding the rapid growth and development of the colonies, the restriction and the cracking down on colonial trade and life by Great Britain, and the ensuing unrest and widening gulf between Britain and its colonies. Although the various English colonies were established individually and with differing motives, the discovery and acquisition of natural resources was always a common theme, and in most cases, a determining factor in the survival and success of the colony. The majority of colonies were established for the sake of profit, and backed by established industry, and although no colonies were explicitly established for the production or manufacturing of iron,

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