Final answer:
Electrification in America extended the workday with electric lighting, revolutionized home life with electric appliances, transformed urban living with streetlights, and stimulated economic growth and consumerism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of electrification, which is the generation and distribution of electricity, dramatically changed American life in numerous ways. One significant change was the extension of the workday, as electric lighting made it possible for factories to operate 24/7. This led to increased industrial productivity and altered the rhythm of American labor. Electrification also had a profound impact on home life, with the proliferation of electric appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines, changing how Americans performed domestic tasks and managed their households.
Urban environments were transformed as well—electric streetlights made cities safer and allowed for a vibrant nightlife, contributing to the growth and development of entertainment industries like movie theaters. Furthermore, electrification stimulated economic growth by enabling new industries to flourish while older industries like coal were increasingly replaced by electricity and natural gas. This transformation not only changed the economic landscape but also contributed to urban expansion and the rise of suburbia, as people could travel and live farther from their places of work with automobiles becoming more affordable thanks to electrification.
In summary, electrification changed life in America by enhancing industrial productivity, revolutionizing home life with appliances, improving urban living with electric lighting, and stimulating economic growth and consumerism. These advances represented an era of technological progress and social change that fundamentally shaped the American way of life.