Between the end of the Civil War and the beginning of the 20th century, the United States experienced the most rapid and profound economic revolutions that any country had ever experienced. Geography and abundant natural resources with the inundation of immigrant labor fueled the innovative ideas of Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller and in later years Henry Ford, considered by many to be the pioneers of industry and feared by those who labeled them Robbers Barron's. Luck is a mistake; essentially “luck” is simply an opportunity to encounter preparation. The opportunity for growth and prosperity offered the tools for success while the Pioneers of Industry were ready to use them with selfish interests that would create a positive externality for the country in its infancy. The growth of the economy and national interests would be supported abroad by the allure of imperialism. The influx of immigrants between 1870 and 1920 (about 25 million) brought with them new ideas and inventions. One of the major contributors was Thomas Edison, whose inventions led to the creation of new industries that transformed public entertainment, private life, and economic activity. His inventions include the phonograph, the light bulb, the motion picture, and the system for generating and distributing electrical energy such as the first electrical generating station in Manhattan which was put into service in 1882 to provide power to private homes, factories, and streetcars. Only the invention of the light bulb meant that factories could stay open and running 24 hours a day to meet the growing demand for material goods. The expansion of businesses and factories allowed the construction of highways and canals which in turn offered citizens improved living standards and... paper men... easy access to the combined Pacific markets at the end of the 1890 to convince the president, Congress, and the vast majority of Americans that a canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans was vital to national security and prosperity. Spain's potential involvement in the destruction of the battleship “Maine” was the impetus that redirected America's attention to expansion abroad and abroad. This led American imperialism to influence political and military conflict by creating strong naval force, economic competition with other industrial nations, such as Great Britain, Belgium, and France. Although the progress of industrialization led to the advent of technology that contributed to most aspects of growth in the United States, imperialism secured the channels that enabled the sustained growth of the powerhouse we call the United States..