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How Did The Gilded Age Affect The Economy During The Gilded Age

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The Gilded Age was an era of tremendous industrial expansion, driven by technological advances and the influx of immigrants; this period of rapid change had an immense effect on the country's socioeconomic landscape, transforming it from an agricultural to an increasingly industrial one and urbanized economy. Innovations in transportation, such as steamboats, railroads, and streetcars, enabled the rapid movement of goods and people, connecting distant regions and allowing for the rapid expansion of trade and commerce. The industrial revolution brought large-scale businesses, new jobs, and a surge in production, but it also created economic disparities between the wealthy and the working class. The Gilded Age saw social and political reform, …show more content…

The development of railroad networks, for example, was heavily subsidized by federal grants and land donations from the government. This allowed companies to expand their operations quickly and efficiently across large distances at a fraction of the cost it would have taken before. Furthermore, corporate mergers became commonplace during this time as businesses sought ways to increase their market share in an increasingly competitive environment. These new strategies led to increased profits for many corporations, which trickled down into domestic economies regarding job creation and higher worker wages. As such, these business practices were instrumental in creating unprecedented economic growth within America during this period known as The Gilded Age. According to Rutherford B. Hayes, the "government of the people, by the people and for the people no longer" because politicians were taking bribes from corporations for kickbacks in elections and votes …show more content…

This period of unprecedented economic growth saw increased industrialization and urbanization as cities became hubs for production and trade. The population of these cities skyrocketed, leading to overcrowding and poverty among their inhabitants. Working conditions were often dangerous, with extended hours at low pay. At the same time, immigrants from Europe flooded into America's urban areas looking for work opportunities that were only sometimes available to them. Despite this hardship, many people succeeded through hard work; some even became millionaires as they took advantage of new technologies like electricity or railways, which enabled them to make great fortunes out of nothing. The Gilded Age was a time when anything seemed possible if you worked hard enough - but it also brought about immense inequality between those who could afford success and those who could not make ends meet no matter how much they

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