Second Revolution

The post reconstruction period witnessed an era known as Gilded Age a termed popular coined by Mark Twin and Charles Dudley Warner in the book The Glided Age: A Tale of Today. In the late 19th Century, America witnessed rapid economic and population growth .The rapid industrial revolution and the western expansion was a result of unrestricted immigration from Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, Scandinavia and China. The total population of the country had risen to about seven lakhs and with millions of dollars at hand, capitalists, industrialists and inventors invested large sum of money that led to the second industrial revolution. For instance, in 1875, G.F Swift's refrigeration freight began to be used, in 1876, Alexander.Graham Bell sent his first telephonic message, 1882, Edison's electric power became operational and 1901, the Wright Brother completed the airplane glider. In addition, the gas engine and the electric dynamo also aided industrial transformation. Moreover, the improvement of transport and communication kept pace with the growth of industries. By the end of the 19th century, almost all lands in the western regions had been bought by rich farmers, railway companies, and stock raisers. Large coal beds were opened along the Appalachian region, Iron mills sprung up from Virginia through Alabama and from Arkansas to Texas, petroleum was discovered in Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana and Arkansas which added petroleum and petroleum product industries. Besides lumber and cotton seed industries increased the wealth generated from the South. Thus by the beginning of the 10 century, the South became a hub of industrial activity in America.