The Second Industrial Revolution was a period that led to several developments in the United States. During the 19th century, the United States was experiencing the Second Industrial Revolution, which shifted the production of goods from cottages to factories using machinery and mass production. The government promotes the development of businesses and industrialization. Capitalism flourished because of lazy-faire policies. Capitalism is an economic system where individuals and companies can engage in free trade and competition with little government intervention (Jahan et al.). Laissez-faire policies meant the government could not interfere in company practices (Beech September 2024). The rise of big companies and the rapid expansion of American …show more content…
These innovations expanded the labor force and created job opportunities. Tactics used by companies like mass production are where a large quantity of a product is produced at a low cost (Beech September 2024). As stated in SteelMuseum.org, the Bessemer process is a way to purify iron to make it strong and lightweight (Bessemer Process). According to History.com, “Rapid advances in the creation of steel, chemicals, and electricity helped fuel production, including mass-produced consumer goods and weapons” (Niller). The adoption of mass production and the emergence of new industries like steel and electricity promoted production efficiency, significantly contributing to the economic development of the United States. Therefore, the growth of labor unions contributed to the political development of the United States. During this time, for a family to survive, children had to work, and they would have to give up their education. A labor union is a group of people who advocate for better wages, hours, and conditions (Sullivan et al.). They used collective bargaining to negotiate between employers and a group of employees to regulate salaries, conditions, and benefits