Resistance to lateral forces is provided primarily by rigid frame action – that is, by the development of bending moment and shear force in the frame members and joints.
[1] The 1994 Northridge earthquake revealed a common flaw in steel-frame construction — poorly welded moment connections — and building codes were revised to strengthen them.
Steel building construction with the frame carrying the vertical loads initiated with the Home Insurance Building in Chicago, a 10-story structure constructed in 1884 with a height of 138 ft, often credited with being the first skyscraper.
This and other tall buildings in Chicago spawned an entire generation of tall buildings, constructed with load bearing steel frames supporting concrete floors and non-load bearing, unreinforced masonry infill walls at their perimeters.
Framing in these early structures typically utilized "H" shapes built up from plates, and "L" and "Z" sections.