Final answer:
The invention of the light bulb by Thomas Edison allowed factories to operate at nighttime, revolutionizing the industry and daily life by making extended hours of production and safer nighttime illumination possible.
Step-by-step explanation:
The major invention that allowed factories to stay open late at night during the late 19th century was the light bulb. Thomas Alva Edison's invention of the incandescent light bulb in 1879 revolutionized the workplace, as factories were no longer dependent on daylight and could operate around the clock. This breakthrough enabled a transition to a 24-hour work cycle, significantly increasing production capacity and changing the way factory floors functioned.
The transition to electric lighting also had far-reaching implications beyond factory walls. It made streets and homes safer by replacing the dim and hazardous illumination of oil and gas lamps, and with the inception of power companies like Edison's, which serviced urban areas like New York City, the infrastructure for widespread electric lighting was set. The advent of electricity transformed not just manufacturing but the daily lives of individuals, all thanks to the development of the electric light bulb.
Nikola Tesla's subsequent development of the AC power system for the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company enabled electricity to reach further distances, making it feasible for urban centers to expand and factories to continue their operations uninterrupted, well into the night.