Part 5/10:
In the late 1890s, as the U.S. began to assert itself as a world power, Bethlehem Steel shifted its focus toward naval construction. By 1899, the company rebranded itself as Bethlehem Steelworks, emphasizing its production of structural steel for military and civil applications. The plant contributed significantly during the early 1900s, particularly in the construction of naval vessels amid the arms race leading up to World War I, producing steel for super dreadnoughts and other military ships.