The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
Pitch, a derivative of bituminous coal from which the oil has been removed, is popular as a road-paving material for several reasons: it is easily applied to the road after heating, it forms a good seal against moisture, and it is pliable enough when hardened to allow for a smooth ride for the traveler.
Excavations show evidence that pitch was used at Jericho circa 2500 B.C. to seal the spaces between the stones of its infamous wall. The Babylonians, Vikings, and others also used pitch in shipbuilding to seal hulls against water. Road-building pioneers Pierre Trésaguet and Thomas Telford used it as a filler between paving stones, a method rejected by John McAdam, who preferred to allow surface rock to absorb moisture. Pitch is now used worldwide for road surfacing, often mixed with rock or cement to strengthen it. Roads surfaced in this way are referred to as bitumen roads in some countries, while the terms asphalt or blacktop are commonly used in North America. Pitch is also used in the manufacturing of electrodes.