During the late 19th century, millions of immigrants arrived in the United States from Southern and Eastern Europe. These immigrants were willing to work long hours for low wages, which helped to keep production costs down for American manufacturers. In addition, many of these immigrants brought with them skills and expertise that were in high demand in the United States, such as carpentry, metalworking, and mining. As a result, the influx of immigrant labor played a major role in the rapid industrialization of the United States during this period.