Immigration and Urbanization Practice Test

Access to upper floors dictates how tall a building can be used. The elevator provides a fast, reliable way for people to move between levels, so more stories become practical and valuable space. With elevators, buildings can rise higher because occupants aren’t limited by the effort and time of climbing stairs. Steam power aided construction and industry but didn’t directly move people between floors; gas lighting serves illumination, and pneumatic tubes transported mail and small items, not people. So, the elevator directly enabled taller urban buildings by making upper floors accessible.