Intro to the Gilded Age (Industrialization in America)

What was the Gilded Age

immigrants thinking US was good, coming here and its not better

Industrial Revolution

• change in production which relied on new machines and fuels

• driven by steel, oil, and electricity

4 Reasons that led to the industrialization of US

• Laissez-faire

• Natural resources

• Competition and innovation

• Labor

Laissez-faire Economics (capitalism)

• owners should grow businesses and amass wealth

• little to no government regulation

• Goal: money

• Lead to growth in big biz

Natural Resources

• oil, iron ore

• and

• waterways

Competition and Innovation

• Entrepreneurs create new inventions and methods; make millions

• patents

• assembly line- innovations

• Ex. Bessemer Process and light bulb

Labor Surplus

new immigrants everyday

Entrepreneurs of the day

Captains of Industry or Robber Barons

Robber Baron (demo.)

• Profit-motivated

• exploited workers/environment

• used “shady” or illegal methods

• monopolies

Captain of Industry (repub)

• philanthropic

• provided jobs

• fostered innovation

• stimulated growth

Interstate Commerce Act

gave congress interstate commerce practice/ moving goods between states

Sherman Antitrust Act

makes monoply’s illegal

The government didnt regulate which two business laws

interstate commerce act, and sherman antitrust act

Old Immigration (Before Civil War)

• Northern and Western Europe

• Arrived in smaller numbers

• Mainly Protestant

• Farms/Skilled Workers

• Most spoke English

• Assimilated fairly easily

New Immigration (After Civil War)

• “Old” Areas PLUS Southern Europe, Eastern Europe and Asia

• Arrived in larger numbers

• Various religions: Catholic, Jewish

• Construction and factory workers/unskilled

• Few spoke English

• Difficulty Assimilating

Open-door

wanting immigrants to come: labor, diversity

Nativism

intense resentment of immigrants: competition, racism, and bigotry

Response to New Immigration

• Social Darwinism (only strongest survive)

• Chinese Exclusion Act (stopped Chinese worker immigration)

• Gentlemen’s Agreement (with the government of Japan/ only business workers and direct family allowed)

Pull Factor

“American Dream”

• Reputation of the US as a safe haven for immigrants

• Land of opportunity