People, who were classified as a new middle-class were people that started to make their own careers (starting business of getting a well-paid job), they have observed a great growth in their salaries at that time and had a lot of leisure time. Expertise had a very important role - people believed that it is a solution to the weakness of society.
New forms of transportation such as the steamboat and the railroad helped the nation expand trade. Meanwhile, innovations such as the modern assembly line and electric light bulb revolutionized both business and personal life
