As George Donelson Moss, author of America in the twentieth century states it; modern America emerged during the last thirty years of the nineteenth century. With most of the century consisting of farmers and smaller towns and country-like living, the later parts of the century brought industrialization and businesses. This changes forced Americans to view and live life differently. Of the important elements that influenced America in the nineteenth century, industrialization and immigration are the most significant. Industry flourished in the 1800’s causing changes to America’s every aspect of life. Manufacturing also increased during this time due to the many advancements and new inventions. Railroads, one of the most important advances of the 1800’s, increased the growth and size of manufacturing and industrialization. With railroads, wide spread cities could connect to each other enabling companies to sell their products to other consumers besides the local merchants. This expansion of goods allowed more rural areas to flourish into larger, factory dwelling cities. Andrew Carnegie became known as the steel master of America after inventors found a new way of mass-producing steel in the U.S. during the 1860’s. America became the number one steel manufacturer in the year of 1880. The petroleum industry grew in the 1860’s also. Kerosene, used to bring light to houses after nightfall, became its most important product. John D. Rockefeller, who headed the Standard Oil Company, became the nation’s first billionaire with his involvement in this industry. Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone in 1876 created another huge industry in the nineteenth century. From the 1880’s until the end of the century, Americans were using over 800,000 telephones. This aided in communication across the U.S. Another famous inventor, Thomas Edison, also helped the industrializatio...
