StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

1886 Earthquake of Charleston - Research Paper Example

Cite this document
Summary
n 1886, an intra-plate earthquake hit Charleston, South Carolina. This earthquake is recorded as the most powerful quake to hit the South East of the US because of the immense damage which it caused in this region. …
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER98.6% of users find it useful
1886 Earthquake of Charleston
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "1886 Earthquake of Charleston"

The 1886 Charleston Earthquake Introduction In 1886, an intra-plate earthquake hit Charleston, South Carolina. This earthquake is recorded as the most powerful quake to hit the South East of the US because of the immense damage which it caused in this region. Even though the quake lasted less than one minute, its implications on Charleston were significantly damaging to property and life.1 It is estimated that the earthquake resulted in the destruction of more than 2,000 structures and buildings. The value of the damages which the earthquake caused is approximated to be over $145 million. The loss of human life is estimated to be about 108 people. Some of the negative implications of the 1886 Charleston earthquake are observed even up to the present days.2 This paper gives a critical analysis of the Charleston quake of 1886 with illustrations of its consequence for the region at the time and of what it means to the modern political, social and economic systems. The physical damages that the earthquake caused in the Charleston region include the displacement of large portions of tracks and curvy formations in addition to longitudinal land movements. In the region, more than 75 km of rail lines were also destroyed. Geographic malformations such as fissuring and craters were formed extensively in the region.3 These malformations indicate the powerful nature of the earthquake. Therefore, both economic and social implications were felt as a result of the earthquake, as revealed by the deaths of people, displacement and destruction of infrastructure which served to support the economy within this region. The regions surrounding Charleston also felt the impact of the earthquake which was experienced even more than 60 miles away. Other sources reported that structures were damaged as far as in Kentucky, Ohio and Alabama which are located hundreds of miles away for the region of Charleston. Toward the Northern Side, reports showed that the quake was experienced in Boston and New Orleans to the West.4 The extensive nature of the earthquake is illustrated by its reach and the geographical scale that it was measured to have reached. The measurement of the quake was estimated to have reached up to 7.3 as revealed in the Richter scale. The soil liquefaction which characterized this earthquake was recorded along the affected areas. It is said that there are minor quake activities in this region which have been recorded and measured by geologists in order to determine the possibility of a major quake happening again and the implications that would result from it. The minor activities of quakes experienced in the Charleston area have been attributed to the aftershocks of the 1886 quake. This implies that the major Charleston quake is being experienced up to the present days through in a smaller scale. The damaging Charleston earthquake has been explained by geologists as a consequence of the faults and malformations which occurred when the Pangaea was breaking. However, some scientists argue that there were less significant earthquakes which were experienced in the Charleston region and they would be attributed to the severity of the 1886 earthquake and the extensive damage which resulted out of it.5 The implications of geological studies and investigations of earthquakes in the present times are related to the fact that the faults of the Pangaea breaking may have future consequences in other parts of America such as the Northern coast. Because of the high magnitude of the Charleston Earthquake of 1886, it is an area of extensive study and investigation. As an example of an intra-plate earthquake, scientists and geologists study the Charleston quake with an aim of predicting the possibility of future experiences of such quakes. As a result of these studies, geographic and political implications of earthquakes have increasingly become significant in America.6 The severity of the Charleston quake was demonstrated by the widespread ejection of sand along the epicentral region. Geologists say that there was no surface faulting in the Charleston area during the quake. However, significant overflowing of sand along large tracks of land was experienced and, thus, the transformation of geographical features of this region.7 Rivers were also significantly affected by the quake with formation of fissures along river banks being recorded. The environmental consequences of the 1886 quake in the Charleston region are, however, illustrated by the uprooting of many trees along this region and, thus, affecting the economic activities of the surrounding communities. The social implications of the Charleston quake were significantly felt in small towns within the Charleston region such as Summerville. Thousands were displaced form these towns and, thus, disrupted their social, political and economic life. The severity of the quake along the small towns of Charleston which were commonly situated in inclined geographic regions has made geologists to hypothesize that the earthquake was in a vertical motion with the consequent implications of such earth movement.8 It can be argued that the political and economic restructuring which resulted from the Charleston quake signifies the changes which would be experienced in the modern society if such a catastrophe struck again. In conclusion, the Charleston earthquake of 1886 caused a lot of damage in this region which includes many deaths and loss of property. The quake was experienced in a wide geographic area around the Charleston region and further in the North and West. The quake is attributed to the faults which occurred when the Pangaea was breaking. The high magnitude of the Charleston quake and the extensive damage that it caused has made it to be one of the widely studied earthquakes. Scientists and geologists have hypothesized many concepts related to the quake, but the implication of the Charleston quake in the modern economic, social and political systems cannot be ruled out. This is due to the fact that quakes of such magnitude may happen in future in other regions of the America and the world in general. Works Cited Bakun, William H., and Oona Scotti. "Regional Intensity Attenuation Models for France and the Estimation of Magnitude and Location of Historical Earthquakes." Geophysical Journal International , 2006. Conahan, Gillian. "Not Your Average Earthquake Zones." Discover, 2011. Freed, Andrew M. "Earthquake Triggering By Static, Dynamic, And Postseismic Stress Transfer." Annual Review of Earth & Planetary Sciences, 2005. Hayati, Hossein, and Ronald D. Andrus. "Liquefaction Potential Map Of Charleston, South Carolina Based On The 1886 Earthquake." Journal of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Engineering, 2008. Juan-Carlos Singaucho, et al. "Locations and Magnitudes of Historical Earthquakes in the Sierra of Ecuador (1587–1996)." Geophysical Journal International, 2010. Publishers Weekly. ”Upheaval In Charleston: Earthquake And Murder On The Eve Of Jim Crow." Publishers Weekly, 2011. Science News. "Rethinking the Charleston Quake." Science News, 1983. Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“1886 Earthquake of Charleston Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words”, n.d.)
1886 Earthquake of Charleston Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/history/1442782-1886-earthquake-of-charleston-sc-and-how-it-affected-the-city
(1886 Earthquake of Charleston Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words)
1886 Earthquake of Charleston Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words. https://studentshare.org/history/1442782-1886-earthquake-of-charleston-sc-and-how-it-affected-the-city.
“1886 Earthquake of Charleston Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/history/1442782-1886-earthquake-of-charleston-sc-and-how-it-affected-the-city.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF 1886 Earthquake of Charleston

Earthquake and Its Various Aspects

earthquake The engineering problem The engineering problem researched in this paper is earthquake, its impacts on the society, its importance in structural design, and measures to make the structures resistant to the effects of earthquakes.... hellip; When an earthquake occurs, the ground moves.... earthquake can cause both a sudden movement of the ground or it may result in a series of shock waves that occur one after another at short intervals....
8 Pages (2000 words) Research Paper

Earthquake Impacts

Although over ten years have passed now since this earthquake hit, it is still considered to be one of the most disastrous ever to hit Japan since the Great Kanto earthquake of 1923, and will not soon be forgotten.... nbsp;An earthquake is literally defined as "a sudden and sometimes catastrophic movement of a part of the Earth's surface.... The strength and damage caused by an earthquake can vary dramatically, depending on the strength of the earthquake....
6 Pages (1500 words) Article

Economical Impacts of Earthquakes on Society

It was a pleasant day until the time we heard the news that there was an earthquake nearby, but this news did not quite gather our attention, because Saudi Arabia is… We completed our trip by visiting our friends.... And then we heard about the start of the earthquake near the city we lived in.... I heard some people talking about lots of casualties which took place due to the earthquake, but I Economical Impacts of Earthquakes on Society Why is earthquake interesting to me?...
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Geology Volcanoes and Earthquake

Theoretically, a mega quake can occur if the length of the fault is very large such that it generates the magnitude of an earthquake of more than 10.... The author of the essay "Geology Volcanoes and earthquake " states that the prediction of the event of an earthquake in the future is impossible.... nbsp;… For instance, the probability of occurrence of a major earthquake in the next 30 years within the areas of San Francisco Bay and southern California is estimated to be 67% and 600% respectively....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Geology Volcanoes&Earthquake Assignment21

Magnitude refers to the measurement of the energy that an earthquake releases and it may be given through Ritcher scale.... The intensity of an earthquake means a measure of the earthquake's power of shaking.... The intensity is measured by the Mercalli scale that represents the damage or effect that the earthquake causes.... Intensity of an earthquake varies for various reasons.... It decreases with distance of the earthquake....
4 Pages (1000 words) Assignment

Biography, Art, and Facts - Vincent van Gogh

This report "Biography, Art, and Facts - Vincent van Gogh" discusses the life and times of Van of the painting during the 19th century.... It was a period that saw him crisscross Europe in pursuit to find a path in a career as an artist with a special focus on painting.... hellip; Artistic work is one of the versatile industries that have grown tremendous leaders whose work is a reflection of personal values and emotions....
8 Pages (2000 words) Report

Japanese history - The Meiji Restoration

In 1881, the government responded by issuing a statement that promised a constitution by year 1890 and in 1886, constitution formation started after the formation of a cabinet system in 1885.... The Meiji Restoration, in the history of Japan, is a period that can be well defined as a political revolution that saw the downfall of Tokugawa shogunate, therefore restoring the steering of the country to its former imperial rule, led by Emperor Meiji....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

The History of Winchester Firearms

The author concludes that Winchester represented western firearms internationally.... They were premiere firearms and soon rose to international fame.... Winchester started the revolution in firearm industry and they were rightly termed as “The gun that won the West”… The company led the innovation for centerfire as well as rimfire rifles, carbines, and shotguns....
7 Pages (1750 words) Research Paper
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us