After the Civil War, the United States underwent a total transformation. The country was predominantly agricultural, but in the late 1800s it became the world's leading industrial nation. Railroads and new inventions quickly emerged along with big business. Huge corporations controlled the economy and a wealth of job opportunities emerged. Unfortunately, workers were mistreated and the workplace was a dangerous place, but that didn't stop average people from fighting for their rights. New political ideas were born and the United States turned upside down into a completely new era. America's great abundance of natural and human resources is what has allowed the nation to develop so much in such a short time. During the nation's metamorphosis into a world industrial leader, gross national product became eight times greater than it had been after the Civil War. New inventions also played a vital role in the country's industrial revolution. Technologies have helped improve productivity, transportation and communication. With the transcontinental railroad, refrigerated rail cars, and the new air brake system, larger quantities of various products could be shipped internationally at a much faster pace. A telegraph line was laid across the Atlantic Ocean, allowing states to talk instantly to people in Europe. The railroads emerged quickly and so did the scandals. Cruel and manipulative people dominated the country with their great enterprises. Corporations were born, along with stocks to raise money for them. The more money the company could raise through stock, the closer it came to achieving economies of scale. Large corporations sometimes came close to becoming monopolies that controlled the entire market. They were a rare…paper company…that had groups of businesses working together as if it were a merged company. Power-hungry corporate owners pushed workers to rebel and form unions. Some radicals who joined the unions believed in a new political idea known as Marxism. It was based on very socialist principles and provided the basis for modern socialism. Thanks to the industrial revolution, modern America was born. With the help of big business, new innovations, and a large population and workforce, the nation has been transformed into one of the most powerful countries in the world. Life would not be so simple without the technologies discovered during this time. The telephone is still used today, along with international transportation, labor unions, time zones, and many other discoveries. If the nation had never transformed into an industrial power, who knows what would have happened.