Answer: How the Second Industrial Revolution Changed Americans' Lives Rapid advances in the creation of steel, chemicals and electricity helped fuel It was an era when industrial growth created a class of wealthy entrepreneurs How did the Industrial Revolution spread in the 1800s? The Industrial Revolution spread in the 1800s because first Britain, then Germany, and the United States became industrial powers. Technology helped industry expand because It allowed industries to work longer and more effectively. The industrial revolution was the force behind this New Imperialism, as it created not only the need for Europe to expand, but the power to successfully take and profitably maintain so many colonies overseas. The industrial revolution created the need for Europe to take over colonies around the world .The Industrial Revolution increased the material wealth of the Western world. It also ended the dominance of agriculture and initiated significant social change. The everyday work environment also changed drastically, and the West became an urban civilization.