Final answer:
The Second Industrial Revolution was brought about by the development of a cheap and efficient process to produce steel.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Second Industrial Revolution was brought about by several advancements, but the most significant one was the development of a process to produce steel inexpensively. Innovators like Henry Bessemer and the open-hearth process revolutionized the production of steel, making it stronger and cheaper. This allowed for the construction of buildings, railroads, and other infrastructure on a large scale, leading the United States into a new industrialized age.