Large scale Volcanoes such as that of Mount Pinatubo, have an effect on climate worldwide. The volcano ejected ash and gases into the stratosphere, preventing radiation from the sun from reaching the surface of the earth, thereby reducing the global mean temperature. It is estimated that this volcanic activity reduced global temperature by approximately 0.4°C.
By the mid-19th century, industrialization was well-established throughout the western part of Europe and America's northeastern region. By the early 20th century, the U.S. had become the world's leading industrial nation.