Unit 6: The Gilded Age Notes

New technology and innovations: The Second Industrial Revolution brought transformative technologies like the Bessemer process for steel production, the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell, and the electric light bulb by Thomas Edison. The combustion engine also emerged, revolutionizing transportation and industry.

Rise of Corporations and “Captains of Industry”:

• JD Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie: John D. Rockefeller dominated the oil industry through Standard Oil, employing strategies like horizontal integration. Andrew Carnegie led the steel industry, advocating the “Gospel of Wealth,” which asserted that the wealthy should use their resources to benefit society.

• Horizontal integration vs. vertical integration:

• Horizontal integration: Involves acquiring or merging with competitors to control a larger market share. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil is a prime example.

  • Vertical integration: A strategy where a company controls multiple stages of the supply chain, from raw materials to distribution. Carnegie Steel exemplified this by controlling iron ore mines, transportation, and steel mills.

Labor Unions & Strikes:

• Trade Unions and Socialism in Europe: European trade unions and socialist movements grew, advocating for workers' rights and better working conditions. Collective bargaining became a key tactic.

• Child labor: Child labor was widespread, with children working in factories and mines under hazardous conditions.

• Major Labor Disputes in the US:

• Haymarket bombing: A labor rally in Chicago’s Haymarket Square turned violent after a bomb exploded, leading to public fear of labor activism and association of labor movements with anarchism.

  • Homestead strike: A violent strike at Carnegie’s Homestead Steel Works in Pennsylvania, where striking workers clashed with Pinkerton agents.

  • Pullman strike: A nationwide railroad strike that began when the Pullman Palace Car Company cut wages. The strike disrupted U.S. mail delivery and interstate commerce, leading to federal intervention.

Cultural Developments

Immigration to the US:

• Arrivals from southern & eastern Europe, Ellis Island: Ellis Island became the main entry point for immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, who often settled in urban ethnic enclaves.

• Chinese Exclusion Act, Angel Island: The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 severely restricted Chinese immigration. Angel Island in San Francisco Bay served as the processing center for many Asian immigrants, particularly from China.

Urbanization and Gilded Age Cities: Rapid urbanization led to overcrowded tenements and slums, posing significant challenges in sanitation and public health. Political machines like Tammany Hall, led by Boss Tweed, often controlled city politics.

Arts & Leisure:

• Museums, modern art (i.e. impressionism): Museums expanded, and modern art movements like Impressionism, exemplified by artists such as Claude Monet, gained prominence.

• Music (Ragtime, Jazz): New musical forms like Ragtime and Jazz emerged, reflecting the cultural dynamism of the era.

• Consumerism and department stores: Department stores grew, fueling consumer culture and offering a wide array of goods.

• Sports (i.e. baseball, football, etc.): Organized sports like baseball and football became popular forms of mass entertainment.

US Politics in the Gilded Age

Key People/Terms:

• Alexander Graham Bell: Inventor of the telephone, revolutionizing communication.

Thomas Edison: Inventor of the light bulb, phonograph, and motion picture camera, with significant impact on modern life.

Bessemer steel: An efficient steel-making process that enabled the mass production of affordable steel, crucial for infrastructure development.

Anarchist: A person advocating the abolition of government, often associated with radical labor movements.

Social Darwinism: The application of Darwinian ideas to justify social inequality, arguing that the “fittest” would naturally succeed.

Capitalism: An economic system characterized by private ownership, free markets, and competition.

Gospel of Wealth: Andrew Carnegie’s belief that the wealthy had a moral obligation to use their wealth to benefit society.

Claude Monet: A key figure in the Impressionist movement, known for his paintings capturing fleeting moments and light.

Alfred Krupp: A German industrialist known for his steel and armaments manufacturing.

Socialism: A political and economic ideology advocating for collective ownership and control of resources and industry.

Cornelius Vanderbilt: A prominent figure in the railroad industry, known for his aggressive business tactics.

Collective bargaining: Negotiation between employers and unions to determine wages, working conditions, and other terms of employment.

Robber Barons: A derogatory term for industrialists who amassed wealth through exploitation and questionable practices.

Nativism: A political stance favoring native-born inhabitants over immigrants.

Eugene Debs: A socialist leader and labor organizer, advocating for workers' rights.

Samuel Gompers: Founder of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), focusing on practical goals like better wages and working conditions.

AFL: American Federation of Labor, a major labor union that organized skilled workers.

Knights of Labor: An early labor organization that sought to unite all workers, skilled and unskilled.

Pinkertons: A private security agency often used to suppress strikes and protect company assets.

Enclave: A distinct community, often an ethnic neighborhood, where people of the same origin reside.

Tenement Slum: Overcrowded, unsanitary housing for the poor, particularly in urban areas.

Realism: An artistic and literary movement aiming to depict life as it truly is, often highlighting social issues.

Combustion engine: An engine that generates mechanical power through the rapid combustion of fuel.

Tammany Hall: A notorious political machine in New York City, known for corruption and influence.

Boss Tweed: The leader of Tammany Hall, symbolizing political corruption during the Gilded Age.

William Jennings Bryan: A politician and orator, known for his advocacy of populist and progressive causes.