Pertanyaan

Questions number 9 to 10 are based on the following passage. The Industrial Revolution is the name historians have given to the period in history when there was a large and rapid change in the way things were made. It began in Great Britain in the 18th century. Britain was the world's leading commercial nation. It controlled a global trading empire with colonies in North America and Africa, and with some political influence on the Indian subcontinent, through the activities of the East India Company. The development of trade and the rise of business were major causes of the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution marks a major turning point in history. Almost every aspect of daily life was influenced in some way. Average income increased, and population grew rapidly . The revolution spread to Europe and the Americas, especially the United States, by the early 19th century. New ideas and inventions were also taken up and used in mining, the working of metals, and in the transport of goods. The most important new invention of the industrial revolution was the steam engine. The steam engine, improved by James Watt around 1776, was used to power the factories and pump out the deeper mines. It was also used in railway engines. The heat from burning coal became the main source of power. “ It controlled a global trading empire… ” (First paragraph). What does the word “it” refer to?