Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

Before the 1870s, animals were shipped live from America to Europe and slaughtered on arrival. This was wasteful — animals took up large ship space, many died or lost weight during the voyage, making meat an expensive luxury beyond the reach of the European poor.

The invention of refrigerated ships allowed animals to be slaughtered at the starting point — in America, Australia, or New Zealand — and transported as frozen meat. This reduced shipping costs and lowered meat prices in Europe. As a result, the European poor could now add meat, butter, and eggs to their earlier monotonous diet of bread and potatoes.

Source: The Making of a Global World, Section 2.2 — Role of Technology

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• The examiner expects two clear stages: the old system (live animals) and the new system (refrigerated/frozen meat) — each with its consequences.
• Key terms to use: refrigerated ships, frozen meat, shipping costs, meat prices, European poor.
• Don't just describe the technology; always link it to the social impact (improved diet of the poor) — that's where many students lose marks.
• 3 marks = roughly 3 distinct points, which map to: (1) problem with old method, (2) how refrigeration changed it, (3) impact on European diet/society.