The Gilded Age, which occurred during the nineteenth century, was one of the most important periods in American history. America’s industry expanded and generated many opportunities for all people. It allowed them to build great fortunes, but also left many, such as farmers and other workers, struggling to survive. Overall, national wealth increased tremendously, but there was a divide between the rich and the poor. Industrial monopolists like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller revolutionized business and ushered in the modern business economy, but also at times, destroyed free-market economic competition. As big businesses started increasing, more people started to come into the U.S. Urbanization and industrialization affected each other …show more content…
There were two types of work back then, salary work and piece work. The regular work paid $6 a week. Women weren’t treated as fairly as the men, either, and employees didn’t get much of a break. There were few machines, and light was limited. Working hours and the amount that these workers were paid was very unfair. It did so little for them.(Clara Lemlich document.) Because of this, things like the “Social Gospel” and “The Gospel of Wealth” were brought to people’s attention. “The Gospel of Wealth” was an essay written by Andrew Carnegie in 1889 that described the responsibility of philanthropy, which is the desire to promote the welfare of others. It was expressed by the donations of money to good causes, by the rich. The idea was that each individual work for himself in gaining wealth. In the end, there would still be a concentration of wealth, but they would spread their wealth to the throughout the public, benefiting all, instead of money coming to all people in small amounts as suggested by communistic ideas.(The Gospel of Wealth document: Andrew …show more content…
The conditions were horrible, and people had to make a living with what they had. This caused monopolies to come into place, too.(The American Dream Document). The monopolies made it seem that they were the only way in order for the people to make a living. Some of these monopolists at one point were poor before their businesses came into place. Some of these monopolist accepted immigrants were accepted, but some, who were once immigrants themselves, didn’t accept immigrants. This was very and caused a problem in