Gilded Age ‑ Fashion, Period & Definition _ HISTORY

Pre-Civil War Rail Travel:
- Dangerous and arduous journey.
Post-Civil War Innovations:
- Introduction of the air brake by George Westinghouse improved safety.
- Pullman sleeping cars and dining cars enhanced travel comfort.
Impact on America:
- Rapid settlement of the western U.S.
- Facilitated long-distance transport of goods.
- Rail companies received large land grants (up to 200 million acres).
- Associated with political corruption—tycoons like Cornelius Vanderbilt and Jay Gould arose.
- Exploited labor, particularly African American Pullman porters.

Definition:
- Wealthy industrialists who amassed fortune through unscrupulous means.
Methods Used:
- Union busting, fraud, intimidation, and political connections.
Dominated Industries:
- Railroad, oil, banking, timber, and more.
Philanthropic View:
- Some, like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller, also contributed to charitable causes despite their monopolistic practices.

Transition:
- Shift from agriculture to industry; notable change in societal structure.
Urbanization:
- Millions migrated to cities for work; cities unprepared for demographic changes.
- Issues with housing, sanitation, and health, resulting in high mortality rates.

Wealth Display:
- Homes of the elite characterized as lavish and extravagant.
Notable Mansions:
- Biltmore: 250-room estate in North Carolina.
- The Breakers: Rhode Island mansion of Cornelius Vanderbilt.
- Rosecliff: designed after Versailles, known for film appearances.
- Whitehall: 75-room mansion of Henry Flagler in Florida.

Social Disparities:
- Stark contrast between wealth and poverty; many lived below the poverty line.
Social Darwinism Perspective:
- Misused to justify social class distinctions; wealthy viewed as 'fittest'.

Definition:
- Journalists exposing corruption and injustices of the era.
Important Figures:
- Jacob Riis: "How the Other Half Lives" detailed slum conditions.
- Lincoln Steffens: "Tweed Days in St. Louis" on political corruption.
- Ida Tarbell: Investigated Rockefeller's Standard Oil monopoly.
- Upton Sinclair: "The Jungle" led to reforms in the meatpacking industry.

Worker Organization:
- Formed to combat poor working conditions and low wages.
- Faced internal divisions among workers.
- First labor unions gained momentum during the Gilded Age.

Events Summary:
- July 16, 1877: Strike against pay cuts by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
- Spread across America, resulting in significant clashes.
- Known as the Great Upheaval; highlighted strength of organized labor.

Technological Innovations:
- Development of infrastructure: bridges, skyscrapers, electricity.
- Urban lifestyle flourished, but living conditions for the poor remained dire.

Upper-Class Women's Role:
- Seen as societal ornaments; some took on activism.
- Pioneer philanthropists pushed for social change.
- Education and professional opportunities increased.
Notable Women:
- Jane Addams: Founded Hull-House for immigrants.
- Carrie Nation: Advocate for temperance and women's suffrage.

Political Changes:
- Response to corruption by progressive activism.
Native American Relations:
- Displacement and hardships as settlers expanded.

Formation:
- Emerged from discontent among farmers against railroads.Democratic agenda aimed at giving power back to the people.
Progressive Movement:
- Late 19th to early 20th century movement advocating for social reforms.

Economic Crash of 1893:
- Triggered by railroad bankruptcies; led to severe depression.
Progressive Era:
- Reforms implemented during Roosevelt's presidency aimed at corporate regulation and social welfare.