The initial Industrial Revolution ignited the engine that began to drive humanity into a new era of technological, economic, political and social progress. The Second Industrial Revolution propelled society even further into these areas. This brought innovation in steel production through the Bessemer system, increasing use of electricity, scientific discoveries such as synthetic dyes, transportation systems, and communication. These innovations, unbeknownst to many, were the key to bringing society into the modern era. The world was becoming smaller and smaller with new developments in freight transportation and travel. This declining world has also led to massive changes in the composition of society. The Second Industrial Revolution impacted the cultural, political, and social aspects of 19th century society and also had an inherent impact on the norms of gender and class relations of the time. For starters, as businesses began to move toward manufacturing, fewer people were needed to work the land. . This had major political effects, as less political emphasis was placed on land ownership and inherited titles. The aristocracy “had to find new channels through which it could exert its political influence and influence” (Noble 661), and to do this, the social hierarchy needed a change. The need to find these new channels has led to the expansion of what will be called “the middle class”. This created the possibility for a growing percentage of the population to gain some of the same freedoms that in the past were only guaranteed to the aristocracy. Middle-class individuals ranged from wealthy manufacturers to bank tellers. The middle class began to grow rapidly in the 1870s, making up "about 10 percent of the world... middle of paper... the number of organized duels. On a larger scale, the middle class has also brought challenges to class relations. In conclusion, the Second Industrial Revolution created massive changes that not only led to technological and scientific advancements, but also created an entirely new social class, culture and social norms. The impact can be seen today through some of our own modern industries and our use of developments made during this period, such as medicine. It shrank the world and made him feel the impact of humanity. The Second Industrial Revolution forever marks the period when the world began to become what it is today. Works Cited Noble, Thomas, Barry Stauss, Duane Osheim, Kristen Neushel, Elinor Accampo, David Roberts, and William Cohen. History of Western Civilizations. 7th edition. Library of Congress, Boston, Massachusetts, print.