...Gabriel Lima AP United States History Mr. Reinhardt June 10th, 2024. Immigration during the Gilded Age and Its Impact on America’s Development. The period between 1870 and 1920, often referred to as the Gilded Age, was a transformative era in American history, marked by rapid industrialization, urbanization, and economic expansion. Central to this dynamic period was the massive influx of immigrants who arrived on American shores in search of better opportunities. These immigrants played a pivotal role in shaping the economic landscape of the United States, contributing significantly to its growth and development. They provided the labor force essential for the burgeoning industries, fueled innovation and entrepreneurship, and enriched the...
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...The Gilded Age: History and Effects on Society The Gilded Age, which lasted from 1870 to around 1910, was an extremely influential period full of hardship for the poor and women of the United States and the creation of monopolies as well as reformation of government and accomplishments in the United States. The name “The Gilded Age” comes from Mark Twain when he referenced the fact that the period was polished and golden on the surface, yet unethical and foul underneath. Despite the appearance of prosperity, the era was marked by income inequalities and political corruption. Despite the corruption, consumerism, and capitalism that characterized the Gilded Age, it was also a formative period for new America, one in which an agriculture-based...
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...Inequality was extremely prevalent from the 1870’s to the and 1920’s, leaving any race, but whites unprivileged socially and economically. This created a major problem for every other race of people living in the United States at that time. All people of color were treated unfairly receiving what they did not deserve and not receiving what they did deserve. This varied from minuscule things to enormous ones like murder. This problem effected contemporaries of the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era immensely by leaving the African Americans still restricted from doing many things a white man could do and being treated unlawfully in court, forcing the Indians out of their place of comfort and throwing them to assimilate to American’s civilization, and trying...
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...The Gilded Age, a period beginning in the 1870’s and lasting until the late 1890’s, was an era in American history characterized by unparalleled economic growth and technological advancements while also plagued by significant social and political challenges. The name Gilded Age is derived from famous author Mark Twain’s novel of the same name, written for the purpose of exposing the blatant corruption and excessive materialism of America’s most rich and powerful. This essay aims to analyze the juxtaposition of prosperity among the wealthy elite and inequality during the Gilded Age. The rampant industrialization of the Gilded Age propelled prosperity by fostering great economic growth and technological innovation, consequently exacerbating...
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...The term “gilded age” was a term coined by Mark Twain, who wrote jokingly about the problems of an expanding population masked by a thin sheet of gold. The Gilded Age was a time period in American history that spanned from 1871 to 1900. It was a time of growth and change in cities. In a more proper way, or as Mr. Lore says, “The Gilded Age was a time of vast change in America’s cities. Rapid industrialization, urbanization, and immigration transformed cities”. In the classroom, students always learn about what happens everywhere but not in their own individual cities. This essay demonstrates what happened in our hometown city of Philadelphia: the industries, immigration, laws, and movements. The region’s major industries included textiles, locomotive manufacturing, ship building, iron and steel production, and sugar refining. When petroleum was discovered in Western Pennsylvania, Philadelphia became an oil storage and refining center. They played big roles in producing a large sum of money into...
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...Provide historical context/background for each document, connecting the individual accounts to the larger historical themes of the era. Compare the experiences and attitudes of each author. Based on the textbook and the videos, explain how all these documents relate to the social and economic developments that occurred in the United States during the Gilded Age (1865-1900). Ida B Wells described her bad experiences during the Gilded Age. She described how blacks were killed and lynched by the KKK. She states that whites would lynch blacks for any reason and see them as inferior. She was a journalist and a civil rights activist. The two documents relate to the social and economic developments during the gilded age. During the gilded age, there...
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...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. Some may argue that we are currently living in another Gilded Age, while others advocate that we have already reached a new era. In my perspective, I side with the former point of view. I strongly believe that we are living in the 2nd Gilded age. Here are four reasons why. Initially, wealth concentration and inequality were severe problems and are still now. Back then in 1870-1900, it was a period of wealth concentrated by many “Captains of Industry”. Social Darwinism was used to justify the extremes of wealth,...
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...Assignment 1.2: Industrialization after the Civil War History 105: Contemporary U.S. History The Post Civil War marked an economic transformation of the United States. With the unprecedented surge in immigration and urbanization, American society was now in transition. A transition that included the most influential third political party movement ever. Major aspects of industrialization during 1865 and 1920 that influenced U.S. society, economy, and politics One key to the rite of the industrial economy was the expansion of railroads. The First Transcontinental Railroad in the United States was built in the 1860’s. Linking the well-developed railway network of the eastern coast with rapidly growing California. Construction on the first transcontinental railroad began after President Abraham Lincoln approved the Pacific Railway Act of 1862, a landmark that authorized the federal government to financially back the construction of a transcontinental railroad. Lincoln felt the transcontinental railroad was a necessity, an idea whose time had come (HUL 2014). With the development of the transcontinental railroad spurred a major economic growth. The true economic impact of the railroad may never be known, but one thing is for certain: It was dramatic. The flow of goods over the line after the first full year of operation was around $50 million in 1869 dollars (Friedman 2010). Individuals felt the joining of America...
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...of natural resource, an expanding market for manufactured goods, a growing supply of labor and availabilities of capital for investment. In addition, the federal government vigorously promoted industrial development which stimulated the American economy to change dramatically from the Gilded Age to the Progressive Era. However, the progress of the industrialization affected every aspect of the American society in either positive or negative way. As the nation moved to the west, the United States was transformed by vast changes in technology and a large amount of natural resources which stimulated new industries. Particularly, steel came to be used in the expanding new railroads which contributed in linking the nation and created a national wide market. By the 1890s, there were five transcontinental railroads transported the raw material from the West to the Eastern markets and carried manufactured goods to the West (Foner 596). Though, the government was not able to deal problems formed by the industrial revolution. Both parties came under control of powerful political managers with close ties to business interests. Republicans intensely supported a high tariff to protect America industry. During the 1870s, Republicans established a financial system based on reducing federal spending, which helped to repay much of the national debt. On the other hand, Democrats criticized the high tariff and resisted demands from debt-ridden agricultural regions for an increase in the money supply...
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...1. In Cliff Dwellers, George Bellows apprehends the bright crowd on New York City’s lower east side, and based on the picture we can assume that it was a hot day. When I see the painting my eyes immediately go straight to the large crowd. The large crowd is significance to this painting. The shadowing of the colors in the background also help the crown to be more noticeable. This painting can demonstrate that the city’s population is growing dramatically and that can be mainly to immigration. With the city’s population growing then the more crowded the town will be. Specifically, we can observe more youth than older people in the painting. The painting portrayed by George Bellows describes the nature of cities of the historical reason of how...
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...During the mid-1860’s, America experienced many changes. Industrialization and a rapid increase of new immigrants led to changes in business and in every day life. Industrialization and immigration greatly impacted America during the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, as this was a time of transition in both American society and in industry. After the American Civil War, the country was still largely an agrarian society. Industry had indeed taken root, but throughout many regions it was still far more common to find farms than factories. The effects of industrialization in Europe pushed many Europeans to move to America. They came for different reasons, some just for an opportunity to make more money and then move back to home and some came...
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...Shift To The Progressive Era Following the Civil War, the mid-19th century brought a second industrial revolution. Many technological advances took place during this time, which gave way towards the beginning of the Gilded Age. Although the Gilded Age brought great economic improvement, many suffered. The economic development that this era brought to America was very appealing to immigrants, and America experienced a large influx of European immigrants towards the latter part of the 1800’s. Despite the technological and economic improvements of the Gilded Age, only a small percentage of the population in America reaped the benefits of this. Living and working conditions were abysmal, and tensions rose within the large, yet poverty ridden middle...
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...The Gilded age refers to the brief time in American history after the Civil War Restoration period. From 1877-1893, Americans were wealthy, hard working, and willing to do what they could to better the country. While some went and put thier money into stocks (which didn't help them in the long run) others put thier money towards the mills. One mill in Manchester, NH was one of these Gilded Age marvels. Through this era, there was a huge growth of different industries and a wave of immigrants marked this period in history (Morgan, 54). Because of the success of Western expansion, the gold rush in California and resources in Western North America, the demand for railroads led the way for the Gilded Age. The production of iron and steel rose dramatically because of improved technologies in factories and western resources like lumber, gold and silver increased the demand for improved transportation. There were mining operations that led to incredible profits and the owners of companies dealing with these were suddenly swimming in lots of money,many men used these new found riches to invest in the Mills that were in New England at the time. The Mill that is most interesting to me is the Merrimack River Mills in Manchester, NH. Growing up in Manchester only a mile from the mills has made me want to learn the history of this landmark and how the gilded age affected Manchester. In May 1807, Samuel Blodget completed a canal and lock system beside the Merrimack River at Derryfield....
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...SOCIETY Society in the Gilded Age was a time of civil rights, poverty, political strain, modernization, urbanism and agriculture. New technology such as the telephone, the light bulb, the trolley, repeating rifles and especially the railroad became new to Americans. Americans saw the United States shift from an agricultural to an urban, industrial society, as millions of Americans flocked to cities in the post Civil War era. Nearly half of the population lived in urban areas by 1900, in comparison to twenty percent in 1860. Many young people left the countryside in search of new wonders and forms of work. Included in this major shift from rural to urban areas, a new wave of immigration increased America’s population significantly. Immigrants came from post-war regions of southern and eastern Europe, such as Italy, Greece, Poland, Russia, Croatia, and Czechoslovakia. This new group was poorer and less educated than the Irish and German immigrants who had made the journey to the United States earlier in the century. THE GILDED AGE 1870-1900 “Today, as in the Gilded Age, we live in a world where a morality of personal responsibility rubs shoulders with a culture of greed and of flagrant social irresponsibility. Now as then, business has shed its collective responsibility for employees...
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...Chapter 23 Outline Politics in the Gilded Age 1. 10 Important Facts a) Ulysses S. Grant - He was a great soldier but an inept politician. Republicans would wave “the bloody shirt” for Grant which was reviving gory memories of the civil war. Grant had won with 214 electoral votes to 80 votes for Seymour. b) James G. Blaine - He was from Maine and was a radiantly personable congressman with an elastic conscience. Blaine was one of the late 19th century's leading Republicans and champion of the moderate reformist faction of the party known as the "Half-Breeds". c) Burly “Boss” Tweed – He employed briery, graft, and fraudulent elections to milk the metropolis of as much 200 million dollars. Tweed’s luck ran out when the New York Times discovered evidence in 1871 and published. He then died behind bars. d) Democrats – They had a solid electoral base in the south and in the northern industrial cities, teeming with immigrants and controlled by well-oiled political machines. e) Republicans – Their strength laid largely in the Mid-West and the rural and small-town Northeast. Important blocs of republicans’ ballots came from the GAR- a politically potent organization with many Union veterans of the civil war. f) Grover Cleveland – He was a solid lawyer of 47 and was the first democrat to take the oath of presidential office in twenty...
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