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Gilded Age Research Paper

785 Words4 Pages

Imagine a time where machines replaced people, iron replaced wood and steel replaced iron. A time where the electric light bulb has just been invented and the railroad was expanding across America. Industrialization was a huge turning and growing point for the United States. It helped shape the United States and the world we live in today. Through the inventions, development of businesses, and laws passed by the government industrialization had a positive effect on the United States. The Gilded Age was a time for inventions, everything from railroads to factory machines were being built and expanding society. Many know of John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie’s contributions to the United States through oil and steel but there are …show more content…

An example of the government stepping in is in 1887 when Congress passed the Interstate Commerce Act, which outlawed railroad rebates and kickbacks. Congress then established the Interstate Commerce Commission to ensure that the railroad companies obeyed the new laws. Many groups began to form, such as the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor, to fight for better working conditions, shorter work days, as well as other problems. These groups standing up for what they want also put the government in a position to pass laws and regulations for the people. For example, work days were now 8 hour days. We see this reflected in our society today as well. The majority of people spend 8 hours at work, leaving time for family and sleep as well. Where as before this was regulated, there was people working 14-16 hour shifts. With these working conditions brings up the issue of blacks and how they were treated. This early on we see Jim Crow Laws being put into place, which is an early start to what will become known as the Civil Rights Movement, a huge turning point in American history. Without this intervening from the government society wouldn’t be able to function as well as it did and still does

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