<P> The history of the modern steel industry began in the late 1850s , but since then , steel has been basic to the world 's industrial economy . This article is intended only to address the business , economic and social dimensions of the industry , since the bulk production of steel began as a result of Henry Bessemer 's development of the Bessemer converter in 1857 . Previously steel was very expensive to produce and only used in small expensive items such as knives , swords and armour . </P>
what most directly led to an increase in steel production in the late 1800s
Henry Bessemer 's development of the Bessemer converter