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Chapter 7
computer. What if my computer does not
work?There is also a great need to fixhome
computers when they become “ill.” This is
called the service part of industry. So
industry has two main parts. One part is
making the goodor product. The other part
is providing a
service
to fix the item. Now
let us find out about how Pennsylvania
grew and developed.
Needed—AGood
Transportation
System
A
good transportation system is
needed before growth and
development can take place.
Transport
means to move goods and
people. Before the 1800s, Pennsylvania’s
development was slow because of a poor
transportation system. The only way to
travel on landwas on horseback
or in horse-drawn vehicles.
However, at this time, all roads
were dirt, or unpaved. In many
places, there were only trails to
follow. As a result, when it
rained or snowed, mud and ice
made travel very hard. Traveling
by boat on Pennsylvania’s
waterformswas not any better. If
farmers sent their farm products
to market by boats, they could
only travel downstream. At the
end of the trip, the boats were torn up and
the farmer returnedhome on foot.
The geography of Pennsylvania made it
hard to develop a good transportation
system. The western frontier was separated
from the eastern cities by the rugged
AlleghenyMountains
. In addition, there
was no way for boats to travel from the
eastern part of the state west to Pittsburgh.
This was because there were no rivers that
flowed from east to west that were deep
enough for boats to travel. For these
reasons, hauling supplies and trade goods
was very slow!
The rugged geography of Pennsylvania
helped in the growth of small towns.
Farmers needed a place to sell their goods.
They also needed a place where they could
grind
their wheat and corn into flour.
Flourwasused tomakemany foodproducts
for the farmers’ families. One important
Horseshoe Curve twists
through the Allegheny
Mountains. How do you
think this place got its name?
