Eric Foner and Howard Zinn different interpretations of the gilded age were that Eric Foner really focused on the rich and how the wealthy was taking over while the workers were working for them with poor working conditions, Howard Zinn focused on how machines took place of the workers. Howard Zinn thought machines changed farming before machines it took hours upon hours to make crops and with machines it only took up to about three hours. And with the new railroad transportation they could transport all around the world. The railroads were longer so they can get through the towns they went through. Zinn focused on quicker and easier ways to make money instead of having the workers do it and it take longer to get the job done. He also talked