Final answer:
The new era of literature that began in the mid-to-late 19th century can be described as Realism, Naturalism, and Modernism, reflecting the societal shifts due to industrialization and urbanization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The new era of literature that began in the mid-to-late 19th century can be described as Realism, Naturalism, and Modernism. These literary movements marked a departure from the romantic emphasis on the idealization of the past to a focus on the real, often harsh, realities of contemporary life. As industrialization and urbanization changed the social and economic landscapes, literature began reflecting these transformations. American authors like Twain, Crane, and Chesnutt explored dialect and social issues, while writers such as Whitman and Dickinson influenced the poetic form, and later authors like Fitzgerald and Hemingway reshaped the literary landscape in the 20th century. The creation of a distinctly American literature that both embraced the changes of a growing, diverse nation and reflected its varied experiences became a hallmark of this period.