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Development of the steel industry was boosted by discovery of the Bessemer process. ("Second Industrial Revolution") Henry Bessemer and William Kelly drastically reduced the cost and time needed in producing steel from pig-iron. They found out that that blasting air through molten iron produced high quality steel. Steel was widely used in construction of buildings, because it provided good support for skyscrapers and tall towers. Cornelius Vanderbilt, an American entrepreneur who built his wealth in shipping and railroads, was one of the first people who used steel instead of iron to make rails. One of the hallmarks of the Gilded Age is an increased mechanization, or use of machinery to replace manual labor. People were looking for cheaper and more efficient ways to create better products. By utilizing machines one could increase efficiency of the workers and save time. Among industries that benefited most from the mechanization of the country were coal and train industry, because these two industries were those that most heavily relied on manual
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Achievements in the technology of the gilded Age gave the opportunity to scientists throughout the Progressive Era to make new discoveries. For example, in 1878 physicist Albert A. Michelson first measured the speed of light; this later played an important role in Albert Einstein’s 1905 development of the “The Special Theory of Relativity”. In 1907, Albert Michelson became the first Nobel Prize winner from the United States ("Albert A. Michelson"). Among the other significant breakthroughs were the discovery of moons orbiting Mars and Jupiter, the exploration of extensive dinosaur fossil fills in Colorado and Wyoming as well as the first studies linking chromosomes to specific inherited characterizes (Perry and Smith [317]).
I think that the Gilded Age had a more significant impact upon the development of the United States than the Progressive Era. The Gilded Age gave rise to new industries, created transportation and communication networks and provided infrastructure for further development of technology and science in the Progressive Era. Without the work done in the Gilded Age, the scientific and engineering breakthroughs of the Progressive Era would’ve been
Achievements in the technology of the gilded Age gave the opportunity to scientists throughout the Progressive Era to make new discoveries. For example, in 1878 physicist Albert A. Michelson first measured the speed of light; this later played an important role in Albert Einstein’s 1905 development of the “The Special Theory of Relativity”. In 1907, Albert Michelson became the first Nobel Prize winner from the United States ("Albert A. Michelson"). Among the other significant breakthroughs were the discovery of moons orbiting Mars and Jupiter, the exploration of extensive dinosaur fossil fills in Colorado and Wyoming as well as the first studies linking chromosomes to specific inherited characterizes (Perry and Smith [317]).
I think that the Gilded Age had a more significant impact upon the development of the United States than the Progressive Era. The Gilded Age gave rise to new industries, created transportation and communication networks and provided infrastructure for further development of technology and science in the Progressive Era. Without the work done in the Gilded Age, the scientific and engineering breakthroughs of the Progressive Era would’ve been