Gilded Age Essay

Historians have named the era between 1865 and 1900 in America by various names. These names include the Industrialization Era, the Age of Machines, and most importantly the Gilded Age. This time period, known as the Gilded Age, originated in the latter part of the 19th century due to the development of new machines, technologies and ideas. After the Civil War, the production of railroads and newer farm equipment, as well as the idea of child labor changed the American labor force in unexpected ways. The new inventions also helped big businesses grow and further advance themselves. Growing larger, this also helped booming companies and businesses alike, take over the competition in their field. And lastly, the new inventions, technologies and

Between 1865 and 1900, technology transformed the United States by changing the labor force, benefiting large businesses, allowing big businesses to control competition, and assisting large companies in causing great wealth and great hardships through the nation. After the Civil War, the everyday life of the American people was reconstructed in more ways than one. Besides the nation becoming a democracy of the people, it also became a democracy of tangible objects (Boorstin 412). After the war, farmers and ranchers had to establish new ways to produce better and more food from their land to then supply to the nation. Establishing new planting and growing methods was no simple task, but was eventually accomplished. For farmers to gain access to the tools and supply nations with food, a fast, vast and simple method of transportation was needed. And

As America’s industrial production increased and grew, big businesses also grew. Big businesses were the “the administrative arm of industry”. Therefore, it was important for businesses to advance as well to keep up with the industrial production and demands from the nation. New ideas and technologies brought to the market and businesses helped them advance and benefit. Many inventors had different ideas, but the most famous was undoubtedly Thomas Alva Edison. Edison was a man of great things, including the phonograph, the first picture camera and the light bulb. Though many feel that the light bulb may not have had such a great impact on American businesses, it actually did. Prior to the invention of the light bulb, factory owners would use candles and oil lamps to keep the workplace lit for the workers. These methods posed as safety threats and “fires...and other misfortunes were common” in the factories (Progressive Era-Social Welfare History Project). Use of the light bulb also lowered fire hazards in large factories, which in turn lowered worker injuries and fatalities (Invention(Overview)). Without as many injuries and deaths, factory owners did not have to hire new people as often which in turn, cut back on salaries given out, increasing the profit of the business as a whole. Besides the light bulb, many other inventions also made an appearance in the business world. For