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Monopolies And The Progressive Era

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Big Business (Monopolies) and Exploitation of Workers From 1870 to the 1900s it was an exciting time. Industrialization, the Gilded Age, and the Progressive era were all within this time. Everything that was happening at the time revolved around big business aka monopolies. Monopolies changed the economy and the generalized way of life for all American citizens. Some highlights were the newfound economical boom, new technology like the telephone, the development of large-scale agriculture, the expansion of the federal government, and social tensions. Monopolies enabled the production of goods more readily available to the generalized population. These goods were typically more affordable and gave birth to the middle class. People were now …show more content…

Big business leaders were “captains of industry”, “shrewd businessmen,” and “robber barons.” The big business leaders used technological evolution to create massive industries that made them some of the wealthiest United States citizens of the time. The three men who were the Giants of Industry and innovation were the steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, and business financier J. P. Morgan. All three men were businessmen who developed their respective businesses to an extraordinary scale and scope that is unfathomable (OpenStax, 2019). Carnegie, Rockefeller, and Morgan’s companies greatly influenced the growth of the economy and changed the way of life for all …show more content…

Men, women, and children worked under dangerous working conditions that would have caused OSHA to faint. It was not uncommon for factory workers to lose life and/or limbs while around dangerous machinery. decapitations and fingers were not unheard of when working in such factories run by big business barons (U.S. Department of Labor, n.d.). The factories were also unsanitary and led to many getting sick due to the cramped working space. There was no ventilation to enable fresh air to come through, leaving a suffocating environment. In combination with the bad and deadly working conditions, workers were given measly pay. Eventually, the worker's frustration with their treatment led to strikes and demands for better working conditions and increased

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