the gilded age

The Gilded Age (c. 1870-1900)

The transformation of the U.S. from an agricultural to an industrialized society, leading to economic, political, and social changes.

Industrialization

The rise of big business, urbanization, and technological advancements like the Bessemer Process (steel) and railroads.

Andrew Carnegie

Steel industry leader; used vertical integration to control production from raw materials to finished goods.

John D. Rockefeller

Founder of Standard Oil; used horizontal integration to monopolize the oil industry.

Cornelius Vanderbilt

Railroad and steamboat magnate; helped create a national transportation network.

J.P. Morgan

Banking and finance tycoon; helped consolidate industries and bailed out the U.S. government.

Interstate Commerce Commission (1887)

Regulated railroads to prevent unfair practices, but initially had weak enforcement.

Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)

First federal law against monopolies; intended to break up trusts but was initially ineffective.

Laissez-Faire Economics

Policy of minimal government intervention in business, allowing monopolies and trusts to grow.

Knights of Labor

Labor union led by Terence Powderly; open to all workers, advocated for broad social reforms.

American Federation of Labor (AFL)

Labor union led by Samuel Gompers; focused on skilled workers, higher wages, and better conditions.

Great Railroad Strike of 1877

Major labor uprising; federal troops used to suppress strikers.

Homestead Strike (1892)

Steelworkers at Carnegie's mill protested wage cuts; crushed by private security forces (Pinkertons).

Pullman Strike (1894)

Workers at Pullman railroad car company went on strike; led by Eugene V. Debs; federal troops intervened.

Haymarket Square Riot (1886)

Chicago labor protest turned violent after a bomb exploded; led to a backlash against labor unions.

Old Immigrants

Immigrants from Northern and Western Europe (British, Germans, Irish, French).

New Immigrants

Immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Middle East; faced discrimination.

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)

First U.S. law restricting immigration; banned Chinese laborers.

Urbanization

Rapid city growth due to immigration and industrialization; led to overcrowding and poor living conditions.

Tammany Hall

New York political machine; controlled by "Boss" William Tweed; helped immigrants in exchange for votes.

Settlement Houses

Community centers that helped immigrants adapt; Jane Addams' Hull House was the most famous.

Credit Mobilier Scandal

Railroad company scandal involving bribery of Congressmen.

Whiskey Ring

Corruption scandal where government officials stole tax revenues from whiskey sales.

Pendleton Act (1883)

Ended the spoils system; established a merit-based civil service system.

Tariff Debate

Republicans favored high tariffs (McKinley Tariff, 1890); Democrats favored lower tariffs (Wilson-Gorman Tariff, 1894).

Election of 1896

Republican William McKinley defeated Democrat William Jennings Bryan; marked the decline of Populism.

Cross of Gold Speech

Speech by William Jennings Bryan advocating for silver-backed currency.

Populist Party

Political party advocating for silver currency, government control of railroads, and direct election of senators.

Omaha Platform

Populist Party's platform in 1892; called for economic reforms and worker protections.

Depression of 1893

Economic crisis leading to high unemployment; government response was limited.

Jacob Riis

Author of "How the Other Half Lives"; exposed poor living conditions in cities.

Social Darwinism

Idea that the rich are wealthy because they are more "fit" to survive; used to justify inequality.

Booker T. Washington

Advocated for African American self-improvement and economic advancement before pushing for civil rights.

W.E.B. DuBois

Called for immediate civil rights and co-founded the NAACP.

Ida B. Wells

Anti-lynching activist; fought for African American rights.

Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU)

Founded by Frances Willard; advocated for prohibition and women's rights.

Susan B. Anthony & Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Leaders in the women's suffrage movement; fought for voting rights.

Possible LEQ Prompt: How did industrialization impact the U.S. economy and society during the Gilded Age?

Examples: Rise of big business, urbanization, and monopolies (Carnegie, Rockefeller). Counterpoint: Labor unions, strikes, government attempts at regulation.

Possible LEQ Prompt: To what extent did the government help or hinder economic and social reform?

Examples: Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890) (ineffective), Interstate Commerce Act (1887). Counterpoint: Political corruption, Tammany Hall, scandals.

Possible LEQ Prompt: How did the rise of industrial capitalism impact different social classes?

Examples: "Robber barons" vs. laborers, urban poverty (Riis, Addams). Counterpoint: Growth of middle class, new consumer culture (conspicuous consumption).