Gilded Age Dbq

The Gilded Age lasted from 1870 to World War 1, “1900s.” The Gilded Age was a period of fast economic development, but also much social struggle. Mark Twain in the late nineteenth century founded the “Gilded” Age, which means covered with gold on the outside, but not really golden on the inside, for example, tin. This period of time was glittering on the surface but corrupt underneath. In other words, the outside looked beautiful, but the inside looked old and trashy. During this era, it was a period of greed and cunning. Also, it was a period of fast economic development, but also much social struggle.

The time period of 1865 to 1900 was an era called the Gilded Age. The citizens of America saw a change in the way the country operated. The country started to become more industrialized based, while the agriculture industry decreased. Due to these changes in the economy, industrial workers and farmers struggled. In the face of power of big business and the face of the federal government, the laboring-class Americans attempted to better their lives. The laboring-class did that by improving work conditions, decreasing poverty, and trying to get increased government interactions.

Imagine working sixteen hours a day in an unsanitary, dangerous, place for a big business gaining two dollars.This is what laboring-class Americans had to go through during the Gilded age. Politically, the first largest American labor union was formed during the Gilded age and many other organizations formed as well as violent strikes.Socially, different ethnics joined together to share their thoughts and realize the evils of big business and of the federal government. Mentally, most we 're losing their personal life while some were financially stable and glad. During the Gilded Age laboring-class Americans attempted to better their lives in the power of big businesses and the federal government. Many different attempts were taken by the laboring-class Americans but they were more successful uniting to become one. To obtain an eight hour work day, paid sick days, health care, sanitary conditions, and higher pay.

Thesis : After the Civil War, America was in a post-war boom. During the 1870-1890, big business moguls, such as Rockefeller and Carnegie, create huge corporations which not only affected the economy, but also affected the political realm of America. While many may assume that during the rise of these big business helped to change the economy and politics,  the real focus was on the responses formed by society, such as labor unions, increase public outcry, and political opposition groups that helped to change society.

Black Codes were laws created by white southerners. They were intended to restrict freed blacks’ activity and guarantee their availability as a labor force now that slavery had been abolished.

The decade between 1890 and 1900 expressed a crucial time in the United States of America’s history. Many people experienced struggles throughout this time while others prospered. Mark Twain suggested that despite the significant achievements of the United States, Americans experienced poverty. This statement is an accurate description of the lively hood people experienced in their daily lives during the Gilded Age whether it was positive or negative.

The Gilded age was a period in the late 1800s (1865-1900) that showed tremendous increase of wealth caused by the industrial age. The lifestyle of the rich during this period hid the many problems of the time that eventually brought about the progressive era movement. This was a movement for reform between 1900-1920s. Progressives typically held that the irresponsible actions of the rich were corrupting both public and private life. Forces such as immigration, the Populist Party and industrialization that led to the progressive era also impacted the American government both in its activeness and its democracy.

The United States experienced unparalleled growth during the period of time following the Civil War, known as the Gilded Age, with city expansion supported by new and growing industries, railroad expansion, technological inventions, GNP increases, skyscrapers being built, and more. While many view the industrialists of the Gilded Age as Captains of Industry for the way they grew America economically and lifestyles-wise, they were really Robber Barons because of the fraudulent, corrupt actions they took to hurt both their consumers and their laborers.

The Gilded Age was a period of economic growth as the United States jumped into the lead of industrialization. The nation was rapidly expanding its economy into new areas. Railroad expansion grew as trains shipped goods West to the East. Steel and oil were in great demand. Electricity opened new businesses. All this industry produced a lot of wealth for several businessmen like Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and J.P. Morgan. These men were well-known as the “Captains of Industry”.

Gilded means to be covered with gold and it is exactly why it is used to describe the United States from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. The Gilded age shaped The United States into a new world. With the growth of industries, growth of cities, and new technology, the United States way of life completely shifted. However, under all the amazing shining gold was a thick layer of dirt and harsh reality from the Gilded Age. Although this age was filled with many improvements, it was also filled with massive poverty, unequal wealth and political corruption.

The Gilded Age took place in the U.S in the late 19th century, from about 1870 to 1900.

The Gilded Age was a period economic growth as the United States strived to the lead in industrialization. The nation was rapidly expanding, not only its borders, but also its economy, industry and big business rising fast. Many were enthusiastic about this industrialization, and those who were fortunate, rose to the top.

What was the Gilded Age and why did Mark Twain refer to it as such? To help understand this question, one must know the meaning of the word gild. Per Merriam Webster, the term gild means to “to give an attractive but often deceptive appearance to” (Gild, n.d.). After the Civil War the American people had become tired of all the corruption and simply wanted to see an end to it and to have a stable economy. The Gilded Age was fashioned to be prosperous times for all Americans, promising wealth, and an end to past political corruption. However, what was supposed to be a prosperous time for all would become only a period of deception to many.

Jessica HillisMr. GillardAP US History5 January 2007Essay 16: Gilded AgeThroughout history, certain periods of time have been given certain names based on thehappenings that occurred. Many have called the period of 1865 to 1901 the “Gilded Age”, be-cause it was “shiny and pretty” on the outside but it was “rough and ugly” underneath. The term“Gilded Age” was actually coined by Mark Twain who satired the Gilded Age with a GoldenAge. Politically, economically and socially the Gilded Age was truly a “Gilded Age”. Noteverything added to the “Gilded” effect of the time period. The “robber barons”, two major de-pressions and the labor unions (though not originally a bad thing) did add to the age.The Gilded Age saw the rise of Andrew Carnegie, John

The Gilded Age was to describe America in the late nineteenth century. The outside of the US seemed glamorous and splendid alongside industrial development and massive economic growth. However, the dark sides were hidden beneath it.