Copy of The Gilded Age.pptx (1)

The Gilded Age

• Definition: The term "Gilded Age" was coined by Mark Twain.

• Time Period: It refers to the period between the 1870s and 1900.

• Contrasts: Characterized by vast wealth concentrated among a few, while many lived in extreme poverty.

Technological Changes and Urbanization

• Skyscrapers: Emergence of high-rise buildings that transformed city landscapes.

• Public Transportation: Introduction of systems to facilitate easier movement within urban areas.

• Public Parks: Development of green spaces for recreation and leisure in cities.

Lynchburg's Gilded Age Expansion

• Architectural Marvels: Notable constructions like the "Krise Building" built in 1905 highlight urban development during this era.

The Economic Landscape of the Gilded Age

• Wealth Distribution: By 1900, more than 4,000 millionaires existed in the U.S. who hosted lavish social events.

• Lifestyle of the Rich: The wealthy resided in lavish mansions and exhibited disdain towards the poor.

Notable Mansions

• The Breakers: Vanderbilt summer home featuring 70 rooms; valued at over $700 million today.

• The Biltmore Estate: Another iconic mansion located in North Carolina,

The Middle Class

• Definition: Individuals who are neither rich nor poor, typically in stable professional careers.

• Occupations: Include editors, engineers, accountants, and managers.

• Role of Women: Unmarried women also belonged to the middle class, being employed as clerks, secretaries, and teachers, reflecting a rise in education access for women.

The Poor and Working Class

• Composition: Mainly unskilled laborers often comprising immigrants from rural areas.

• Work Conditions: Faced hazardous working conditions with long hours, typically 10-14 hours a day, six days a week.

Child Labor

• Working Conditions: Children often worked to support their families, with statistics indicating 1 out of every 6 children under age 14 working full-time by 1880.

• Child Employment Statistics (1900): 2 million children in various industries, with notably high rates of workplace incidents among child workers.

Immigration Patterns

Old Immigrants (1800-1870)

• Demographics: Approximately 10 million immigrants from Northern and Western Europe, predominantly Protestant.

New Immigrants (1880-1910)

• Shift: 18 million immigrants mainly from Southern and Eastern Europe, representing diverse backgrounds and religions.

• Cultural Settlement: They formed ethnic communities and typically settled in urban areas.

Jewish Pogroms

• Definition: Organized violent attacks sanctioned by authorities.

• Historical Context: Major incidents occurred in Russia in the late 1800s through post-WWI, resulting in thousands of deaths and assaults on Jewish individuals.

Immigration Processing

• Ellis Island: Key processing center for European and Caribbean immigrants, where most underwent rapid assessments.

• Angel Island: Focused on Asian immigrants, who faced significantly longer, harsher processing times.

Anti-Immigrant Sentiment

• Nativism Legislation: Anti-Chinese sentiment led to various restrictive laws and agreements like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Gentlemen’s Agreement with Japan in 1907.

• Literacy and Tax Requirements: Imposed restrictions that targeted potential immigrants, stemming from a rise in nativist sentiments.

Discrimination in the Gilded Age

• Types of Discrimination: Both legalized and informal, affecting individuals' rights and societal acceptance.

Significant Legal Cases

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

• Supreme Court Ruling: Confirmed that segregation was permissible under the “separate but equal” doctrine, leading to entrenched systemic racism and Jim Crow laws.

Historical Artefacts of Discrimination

• Lynching Postcards: Evidence of racial violence and public sentiment against African Americans, highlighting systemic issues in society.

Lynchburg and Historical Contexts

• Confederate Monuments: Reflect the culmination of racial discrimination attitudes that persisted during the Jim Crow era. Confederate monuments confirm the Lost Cause ideology, which is an idea that promotes slavery as an irrelevant cause of the Civil War.