The meaning of the Golden Age has been expanded to include the period from the end of Reconstruction to the beginning of the 20th century. During the Gilded Age the United States became the world's leading industrial nation, defeated a world power, built a powerful navy, and acquired a large overseas empire. The Gilded Age came on its own with enormous urban growth with all its accompanying problems, changes in communications and transportation through the telephone and transcontinental railroads. The significance of the Gilded Age era is a period of exciting and important scientific and technological inventions and improvements, such as the electric light, the telephone, and the typewriter, which had and continue to have an impact on American life . Some significant individuals who contributed at the time and played important roles were Andrew Carnegie, John. D Rockefeller, Thomas Edison etc. Thomas Edison contributed to this era by being one of the best known inventors of this era, he invented many important inventions such as those involving electricity. For example, electric railways, larger generators, developed incandescent lighting and improved the light bulb. Andrew Carnegie, the richest man in the world, considered himself a hero of workers, yet he crushed their unions. He cut the wages of the workers who made him rich; together with partner Henry Clay they broke the steel unions. After Carnegie sold his company to J.P. Morgan in 1901, he devoted his energies to philanthropy and the pursuit of world peace. At the end of his death he was remembered for his generous donations, such as his 3,000 public libraries, and for donating $3 billion. John D. Rockefeller founder of Standard Oil Compa......middle of paper......ve-it” basis. Many workers were injured or killed every year in industrial accidents due to the unsafe conditions in which they worked. Men and women were not the only ones working in harsh conditions: there was child labor who were used to moving, cleaning or repairing large machines since they were so small and fit between parts. The children who worked were all under fifteen years old, they lacked air, sun, fresh air, play and the possibility of attending school and receiving an education. The Gilded Age era was an important era because it brought new inventions and skills from American entrepreneurs increasing the country's industrial capacity. The spread of railway lines and telegraph cables also contributed to the birth of a national market. All the new inventions and innovations were the spread of a new life to the American people that we still use now.