The Gilded Age and Progressivism

Post-Civil War America and The West

  • Following the Civil War, there was a westward expansion.
  • New technology made farming easier on a larger scale.
  • Surplus crops lead to a decrease in cost, hurting small farms.
  • People aimed to "strike it rich" in the West.
  • Railroads facilitated the transportation of goods.
  • The West was developing and becoming increasingly agricultural.

The Gilded Age (1865-1900)

  • This era spanned from the Civil War to the Progressive Era.
  • The term "gilded" signifies something covered with a thin layer of gold, suggesting a superficial appearance of prosperity.
  • Mark Twain's "The Gilded Age: A Story of Today" (1873) illustrates the era's extravagant wealth, corruption, and unfounded optimism.

Key Figures of The Gilded Age

Cornelius Vanderbilt

  • Descendant of an indentured servant.
  • Invested in steamboats before the Civil War.
  • Shifted investments to railroads after the war due to westward expansion.

John Rockefeller

  • Came from a modest background.
  • Served in the Civil War.
  • Founded Standard Oil, aiming for a consistent level of quality.

Andrew Carnegie

  • Immigrated to America from Scotland.
  • Founded Carnegie Steel Company.
  • His steel production surpassed that of all of England.

Robber Barons and Business Practices

  • Robber Barons became wealthy through ruthless and shady business practices.
  • Rockefeller bought out unprofitable branches and offered stakeholders a share in Standard Oil, eventually owning over 90% of oil in the U.S.
  • This eventually lead to the company being broken apart into smaller ones.

Vertical and Horizontal Integration

Andrew Carnegie

  • Vertical Integration: Carnegie bought out all levels of steel manufacturing, including resource gathering, production, manufacturing, and distribution.
  • Horizontal Integration: Buying out other steel companies.

John Rockefeller

  • Horizontal Integration: Rockefeller purchased oil companies at one level (manufacturing).

Henry Ford and the Assembly Line

  • Created the first cars.
  • Shifted from the "factory model" to the assembly line, where each person had a specific task.
  • Contributed to the rise of the middle class.

Laissez-Faire Capitalism

  • "Leave it alone" in French.
  • Industry leaders wanted minimal government intervention in business practices.
  • Grant's administration was marked by corruption related to bribes from Robber Barons.

Public Perception of Robber Barons

  • They were generally viewed negatively due to the demise of small businesses.
  • Some accepted the rise of robber barons because it would lead to the emergence of a new middle class.

The Gospel of Wealth

  • Andrew Carnegie argued that surplus wealth should be administered by its possessors during their lives, rather than being left to heirs or bequeathed for public purposes after death.
  • Carnegie believed that this approach is the true antidote for unequal distribution of wealth, fostering harmony between the rich and the poor.
  • He differed from the Communist ideal by advocating for the further evolution of existing conditions rather than the total overthrow of civilization, emphasizing individualism.
  • Carnegie contended that surplus wealth can be used more effectively for the benefit of society through investment in public purposes, providing broader benefits than distributing small sums directly to the poor.

Immigration and Tenements

Old vs. New Immigrants

  • Old Immigrants: Mostly Protestant and from Western Europe.
  • New Immigrants: Mostly from Eastern Europe (e.g., Italy, Ireland), often Jewish or Catholic.
  • Immigrants faced economic and social discrimination.

Tenements

  • Immigrants lived in poor conditions and worked in unsavory jobs.
  • Tenements were run down, with fire hazards and difficult exits.
  • Low-level factory jobs were common.
  • Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" highlights these conditions.

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)

  • The first law to restrict immigration into the U.S.
  • Initially barred Chinese people from migrating to the U.S. for 10 years, later extended to 60 years (repealed in 1943).
  • Chinese people already in the U.S. were denied citizenship.

Unions and Strikes

  • Working conditions were poor.
  • Average yearly income for working-class people was around 400-500, while 600 was needed to live comfortably.
  • Children worked in factories until the late 19th century.
  • Working days were 10 hours, 6 days a week.

Unions

  • Workers advocating for their collective interests.
  • Collective bargaining: Workers negotiating for rights/demands as a group.
  • Companies feared strikes and unionization.

National Labor Union (NLU)

  • One of the first labor unions, created in 1866.
  • Helped create the Department of Labor cabinet.
  • Labor Day was created partly due to NLU efforts.

Knights of Labor

  • Founded in Philadelphia in 1869, led by Terence V. Powderly.
  • Inclusive to black laborers and women, but this caused division.
  • Successful railroad strikes, but faced backlash after a disastrous strike in Chicago.

American Federation of Labor (AFL)

  • Founded by Samuel Gompers in 1886.
  • Became the largest labor group in the U.S.

Homestead Strike (1892)

  • Planned strike against Carnegie Steel in Pittsburgh.
  • Henry Clay Frick locked out union workers, planning to reopen with non-union workers.
  • Union workers refused to leave the factory.
  • Frick called 300 Pinkerton agents to break the strike, leading to a gunfight that killed 9 strikers and 7 Pinkerton agents.

The Pullman Strike (1894)

  • Economic downturn caused the Pullman factory to lay off ⅓ of the company and cut wages by 30%.
  • Led by Eugene Debs, who was jailed for his involvement.
  • Socialism became increasingly popular among workers.

Successes of Unions

  • Strength in numbers for workers.
  • Eventually led to shorter workdays (8 hours) and workweeks (5 days a week).

Struggles of Unions

  • Public image on strikes and politics.
  • Socialism alienated people.
  • Violent strikes were viewed unfavorably.
  • Government protected companies and Robber Barons.
  • Companies often called on state militias to break strikes.

Social Darwinism

  • Herbert Spencer's "survival of the fittest" implies wealth is concentrated in those who deserve it.
  • Poverty is seen as deserved.

The Political Machine and Tammany Hall

  • Tammany Hall was a political machine that controlled New York City and state politics.
  • Cities grew, and immigrants became involved in politics through Tammany Hall.
  • William "Boss" Tweed was the leader.

Politics of the Gilded Age

  • Gilded Age presidents were not known for doing much.
  • James Garfield's assassination led to the Pendleton Civil Service Act.
  • Government jobs required passing a test, not just knowing someone.

Populism

  • A political approach appealing to ordinary people who feel disregarded by established elites.
  • Gained traction in the late 19th century.
  • Farmers faced financial troubles due to big businesses and railroad tycoons.
  • Many farmers became in large amounts of debt.

Populist Platforms:

  • Introduction of a federal income tax.
  • Free coinage of silver, leading to inflation.
  • If the rate of inflation goes up faster than the interest rate of a loan, debt can become more manageable for the debtor.

Amendments

16th Amendment

  • Advocated for by populists.
  • Allowed the federal government to collect income tax based on a person's income.

17th Amendment

  • Partially advocated for by the Progressives.
  • Allowed for the direct vote of U.S. senators to congress.
  • Previously state legislatures chose the senators.

Creation of:

  • Initiative: Voters asking for a bill to be created.
  • Referendum: Voting on proposed laws.
  • Recall: Removes politicians from office by vote of the people.

Progressivism

At the turn of the century:

  • America was changing dramatically.
  • Cities were expanding, migration was exploding, and there was insane industrial growth.
  • The age of Progressivism hoped to improve the existing social and political fabric of the U.S.
  • Progressives were not radical and advocated for 3 main things.

Goals of Progressivism

  1. Protecting Social Welfare:
    • Continued building community and helping the poor.
    • Continued usage of settlement houses.
    • Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) was created to help develop young men’s minds (built pools, libraries, sponsored classes).
    • The Salvation Army was created and built soup kitchens.
  2. Promoting Moral Improvement:
    • Moral improvement as a solution to society's problems.
    • Temperance or Prohibition: Banning of alcohol.
    • Led mostly by women due to issues related to alcohol.
    • Average American drank 88 bottles of whiskey a year in 1830.
    • Men would then go home and not be nice to their wives.

18th Amendment

  • As a result of the Temperance movement, alcohol sales were banned in the U.S.
  1. Creating Economic Reform
    • Became strikes and unions.
    • People like Eugene Debs became progressive leaders.

Women of the Progressives

  • Women gained some independence at the turn of the century.
  • Urbanization gave women the opportunity to work in the city.
  • Reforms in education gave women access to not only primary and secondary education but college as well.
  • About 21% of the American workforce were women.
  • Wages for women in manufacturing were 50% of that of men.
  • Women like Mary Harris Jones (nicknamed Mother Jones) advocated for the end of child labor.
    • Her and her labor union marched to the home of Teddy Roosevelt and demanded passage of child labor laws.

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Tragedy

  • Factory fire in Manhattan.
  • Resulted in the death of 146 workers.
  • 123 were women and girls.
  • Victims were mostly in the age range of 14-23.
  • Because the machines were lubricated with oil, the fire spread quickly.
  • Additionally cloth in the machines was flammable as well.

19th Amendment

  • Women fought for suffrage for many years.
  • Achieved in 1920.

Theodore Roosevelt

  • Assumed office in 1901 after William McKinley was shot.
  • Youngest president to take office at 42 years old.
  • Domestic issues: The "Square Deal" with 3 main goals.

Corporate Law

  • The Interstate Commerce Commission was established to control the rail system.
  • Roosevelt signed the Hepburn Act in 1906, strengthening the ICC.
  • The ICC could set rates of railroad transportation.
  • Anyone pushing back had to go to federal court.

Conservation of Natural Resources

  • Over hunting of American Buffalo caused them to go nearly extinct.
  • Conservation became a focus of his presidency.
  • Established 230 million acres of land for public use (national parks) by the end of his second term.
  • He is the reason we have protected historic monuments in the United States

Consumer Protection

Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906

  • Passed due to the disgusting conditions revealed in The Jungle.
  • The Meat Inspection Act was passed on the same day.
  • Food production was under more scrutiny.
  • Food and drugs needed an "addictive" label if they contained alcohol, opium, morphine, or cannabis.

Sherman Antitrust Act

  • Put into place prior to Roosevelt’s presidency.
  • Roosevelt worked actively against monopolies.
  • He urged his Justice Department to crack down on monopolies.
  • In 1904, he successfully trust-busted a railroad holdings company.