How to Use the Images

Table of
Contents

Drawing 1: Saltpeter mining operation at
Mammoth Cave, c. 1810-1815.

Questions for Drawing 1

1. Based on what you learned in Reading 2, describe what is happening in this drawing.

2. Make a list of the pros and cons of working in a cave. What do you think it would be like? Is this an environment you would enjoy working in? Why or why not?

3. Why was saltpeter mining important in the early 19th century? Why did this mining operation become unprofitable?

* The drawing on this screen has a resolution of 72 dots per inch (dpi), and therefore will print poorly. You can obtain a high quality version of Drawing 1, but be aware that the file will take as much as 31 seconds to load with a 28.8K modem.