Final answer:
D. The middle class expanded, and its members had access to education and travel.
Industrialization greatly expanded the middle class, which included professionals and managers in various industries. They benefited from technological advancements, had better access to education, and experienced lifestyle changes such as smaller family sizes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of industrialization significantly influenced the middle class, particularly in the way it expanded and evolved during the Industrial Age. As industries and urban centers grew, there was a greater demand for a workforce, which included not just the laborers in the factories but also the professionals and managers who oversaw such operations. This new middle class consisted of owners and supervisors of factories, mines, and railroads, among others, and also included a variety of professionals like engineers, doctors, and accountants. The industrial middle class had increased access to education and consequently, new opportunities for travel and personal advancement were more readily available.
The middle class benefited from technological innovations such as electricity and the telephone, and their children were able to receive better public education, with more attending high schools and colleges than ever before. This education was increasingly tailored to practical professional skills that would secure their status in the professional class. The middle-class families also experienced a change in lifestyle, reducing the number of children, as the value of child labor decreased with the shift to factory work and the need to financially support them through their education years grew.