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How did the second Industrial Revolution affect American society?

The Second Industrial Revolution began in the early 1870s and lasted up until World War I.  The First Industrial Revolution had produced mass manufacturing in factories.  Before the rise of factories, most goods had been made by hand.  Many were made by skilled artisans.  Greater technological advancements during the Second Industrial Revolution brought about rapid change.


New technologies allowed for efficient heating of steel.  Steel become an important building commodity.  Steel was used for the railroads that crisscrossed across the country, as well as new buildings like skyscrapers.  


Electricity was harnessed and the lightbulb was invented.  Oil was used as fuel before electricity became common.  Gasoline became fuel for automobiles, which were produced on modern assembly lines.  The rubber industry flourished as tires were needed for automobiles.


The telephone connected people who otherwise would have had to wait for letter delivery to communicate.  This new form of communication transformed the way information was spread.


American society was greatly impacted by the Second Industrial Revolution.  People could travel great distances in shorter spans of time due to railroad networks.  Electricity powered lights and eventually small appliances in homes.  Personal automobiles allowed people the freedom to travel whenever they wished.  Information was able to travel quickly through the telephone.  The world was transformed, and it started to resemble the society we live in today.

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