Gilded Age Dbq

The Gilded Age in America's young history is characterized as a period of time in which America appeared to be this beautiful, prosperous solace. However, at its core, America was this corrupt and amoral place in which discrimination and hatred ran rampant. The Gilded Age occurred during the same time that a large stream of new age immigrants began to migrate to the country seeking out opportunity, prosperity, and freedom. The increase in immigrants was directly responsible for the urban growth that took place during this period. The immigrants may not have been able to bring much of their tangible possessions with them but the culture and traditions they would carry with them to the United States would forever impact the future of America.

Inventions such as the car, telephone, and lightbulb created a large job market. With immigrants rushing into the country, it was only fitting that they filled those positions (Document D). Due to the millions of immigrants who came to the country, companies were able to get away with hiring migrants and paying them pennies (Document I). Without the immigrants who were willing to perform grueling labor in order to provide for their families, America’s economy would not have been able to advance the way it did in this period. Furthermore, even tragedies such as the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire led to intense change in the American economy. Many immigrant girls and women worked at the factory in very unsafe conditions. The owners of the factories would overpack the floor and lock the doors so the girls could not leave in order to consolidate profits (Document E). The calamity that took place the half hour that it took for the factory to burn down would forever change the safety protocols for factories in America. The economic changes that took place due to the urban growth of America’s immigrant population during the Gilded Age was significant not only in the twentieth century but remains a very important part of daily life in America

America may have appeared to be great but under the surface it was grimy and the politicians were vice-ridden. They took bribes and would turn a blind eye to the suffering of the citizens of the United States in favor of increasing their personal wealth (Document H). The ultra-wealthy who owned the means of production would live lavish lives and in order to maintain their lifestyles, they needed to ensure that the politicians would not pass laws to regulate the factories and living quarters. Even the politicians who seem to mean well and be overall benevolent individuals would have ulterior motives. Politician George Washington Plunkitt explains how one must maintain their office and in doing so he reveals that all of the kind acts he had been doing for those who were under his jurisdiction was only to guarantee that he would be reelected (Document G). It was only when the immigrants who worked in the factories began to strike that the politicians recognized them. Stopping the means of production to strike not only hurt the factory owners but also the country as a whole so the government had no choice but to finally take notice of them. Although the majority of strikes were wildly unsuccessful due to the stigma around strikers being violent individuals, they paved the way for unionization and the establishment of a federal minimum wage in