The The Gilded AgeGilded Age in in American HistoryAmerican History

1865-18961865-1896

What impact did the What impact did the Gilded AgeGilded Age have upon have upon

the History of the the History of the United States? United States?

GildGildPronunciation: gildFunction: Transition verbEtymology: Middle English, from Old English gyldan; akin to Old English gold gold1: to overlay with or as if with a thin covering of gold2a: to give money to b: to given an attractive but often deceptive appearance to c archaic: to make bloodyGild-ed adjective

Why would an era be Why would an era be referred to as referred to as ““GildedGilded??””

The Gilded AgeThe Gilded AgeA Tale of TodayA Tale of Today

Book gave name to the era

Time of gaudy excess and a new class of wealth, political corruption and conquest of the West

By Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner

Washington Square North, New York City by Fernand Lungren

The Gilded AgeThe Gilded AgeRailroad buildingReconstruction of the SouthIndustrialization of the United StatesSettling of Western FrontierImmigration (the “New Immigrants”)Rise of large urban centers (big cities)Political Corruption

Era of the RailroadsEra of the RailroadsTranscontinental Railroad completed on May 10, 1869.Railroad building triggered the industrial revolution

Railroad building required steel, oil and other resources provided by industry.Railroads connected the entire nation and eased travel

Aided the economic growth of the WestRailroad building provided employment for new immigrants

RailroadsRailroadsRailroads were built by using cheap immigrant labor

IrishChinese

Railroads were built across Native American ancestral lands

The Industrialization of The Industrialization of AmericaAmerica

United States becomes a world industrial powerRise of dominant railroad, steel and oil industries.Rise of Titans of Industry

Andrew CarnegieLeland StanfordJohn D. RockefellerCornelius Vanderbilt

Dynamic era of new inventions and commercial products

Light bulb, Kodak camera, typewriter etc.Thomas Edison

The Standard Oil OctopusThe Standard Oil Octopus

John D. RockefellerJohn D. Rockefeller’’s company becomes a monopoly by s company becomes a monopoly by destroying all competition and gaining favorable government destroying all competition and gaining favorable government policies.policies.

IndustrializationIndustrializationCorrupt business practices Monopolies destroy competitionWorkers wages lowDangerous working conditions.Child labor, no restrictions.Labor Unions emerging, but lacked strength and viewed as radical

Knights of LaborAmerican Federation of Labor

ActivityActivity

Primary Source Analysis

Within your group, analyze the documents.Fill out the corresponding sheets.

Review of Primary SourcesReview of Primary Sources

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New ImmigrationNew ImmigrationMillions of Europeans and Asians immigrate from 1860s to early 1920s. Immigrants come to escape poverty, old social orders and religious persecution and to find freedom and opportunity in America. New immigrants come from regions that had not supplied past immigrants, new cultural traditions added. America becomes the “Great Melting Pot”

The New ImmigrantsThe New ImmigrantsSettled in ethnic Ghettos and slums in American cities.Lived in overpopulated tenement houses.New immigrants worked jobs that paid the lowest wages and did the toughest work.Nativism reemerged in greater force in America

NativismNativism

The belief that NATIVE born Americans are superior to foreigners. Racist and xenophobic.Does this still exist today?

The Growth of the CitiesThe Growth of the Cities

Cities became centers of American industry

New YorkBostonDetroitChicagoSt. LouisKansas City

America boasted some of the largest cities in the worldCities became cultural centers.

UrbanizationUrbanizationCities were overcrowdedPeople lived in slumsTenement houses were overcrowded

Unsanitary living conditionsDisease rampant

Crime rampantPolitical bosses controlled city politicsCity governments were corrupt and mismanagedCities were dirty, filthy and trash-infested Photographs by Jacob Riis, a Danish

immigrant who became a reformer through journalism & photojournalism

Thesis StatementThesis Statement

What was the Industrial Revolution’s impact on society and their working conditions?

GIVE THREE EXAMPLES OF YOUR IDENTIFIED IMPACT. Due in file by end of class.Graded.

The Rise of IndustryThe Rise of Industry

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VocabularyVocabulary

Key Content Terms: Bessemer process, horizontal integration, vertical integration, laissez-faire, social Darwinism, Sherman Antitrust Act

Social Studies Terms: capitalism, capital, corporation, patents monopoly, trust, entrepreneur, philanthropist

Bessemer ProcessBessemer Process

The first inexpensive industrial process for the mass-production of steel.Named after its inventor.

Horizontal Integration vs. Horizontal Integration vs. Vertical IntegrationVertical Integration

Horizontal Integration: The combining of many firms engaged in the same type of business into one large corporation

Vertical Integration: A single company owns and controls the entire process from raw materials to the manufacture and sale of the finished product

Laissez-faireLaissez-faire

A policy or attitude of letting things take their own course, without interfering.

Social DarwinismSocial Darwinism

Philosophy stated that only the strongest and the fittest would survive and flourish in society, while the weak and unfit should be allowed to die. 

Sherman Antitrust Act Sherman Antitrust Act

First federal action against monopolies, it was signed into law and was extensively used by Theodore Roosevelt for trust-busting

A Trust is an entity created to hold assets for the benefit of certain persons or entities, with a trustee managing the trust (and often holding title on behalf of the trust).

Capitalism vs. CapitalCapitalism vs. Capital

Capitalism: an economic system in which individuals and corporations, not the government, own production and profit. Strict noninterference of the government in business affairs. 

Capital: buildings, machinery, tools, and other goods that create products or services for the people.

Patents vs. MonopoliesPatents vs. Monopolies

Patent: set of exclusive rights granted by the gov to an inventor for a limited period of time in exchange for a the production of that good.

Monopolies: the exclusive possession or control of the supply or trade in a commodity or service

Entrepreneur vs. Entrepreneur vs. Philanthropist Philanthropist

Entrepreneur: a person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so.

Philanthropist: a person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, especially by the generous donation of money to good causes.

Graph AnalysisGraph Analysis

Working with a partner, graph all the data on your worksheet.Answer the corresponding questions.

Due at the end of class.PUT IN BINDERS!

New GrowthNew Growth

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Settlement of the WestSettlement of the West

Railroad building connects farmers in West with Eastern marketsLand availability on the Great Plains for farmingCattle ranching and mining industries thrive in the WestGrowth of Western cities.Golden Age of the Cowboy

Homestead ActHomestead Act

A special act of Congress (1862) that made public lands in the West available to settlers without payment, usually in lots of 160 acres, to be used as farms.

Dawes ActDawes Act

adopted by Congress in 1887, authorized the President of the United States to survey American Indian tribal land and divide it into allotments for individual Indians. Those who accepted allotments and lived separately from the tribe would be granted United States citizenship.

““Move On!Move On!””

Has the native American no rights that the naturalized Has the native American no rights that the naturalized American is bound to respect?American is bound to respect?

Conquering the Western FrontierConquering the Western Frontier

Seizing lands from Native Americans; Forcing Indians onto reservations; Indian Wars

• Railroad scheme to possess the best available lands;

• Railroads take advantage of farmers & set high shipping rates.

Conquering the Conquering the Western Frontier.Western Frontier.

• Farmers took large acreages of land to produce enough crop to make a profit; Lands of Great Plains difficult to farm; farmers interests not addressed by the government.

• Conflict between farmers and ranchers over land use.

• Lawlessness throughout. • Cattle & Mining boom towns

Introductory ParagraphIntroductory Paragraph

How did Western Expansion destroy Indian tribal life?

• Due at the end of class.

• MAKE THESIS STATEMENT SPECIFIC

• INCLUDE SPECIFIC FACTS/REFERENCES.

Conclusion of the Conclusion of the Gilded AgeGilded Age

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Politics in the Gilded AgePolitics in the Gilded Age• Age of Republican

presidents – One Democrat, twice removed.

Grover Cleveland.

• Political promise for African Americans

• Civil Service Reform– Pendleton Act

• Farmers seeking a voice in the political system– National Grange & Populists

• Government aid to railroad and industrial growth

• Key issues were monetary system, the tariff and civil service reform.

The The ““forgettableforgettable”” presidents & presidents & political corruptionpolitical corruption

• Ineffective presidential leadership

• Political corruption and scandals– Era of Good Stealings

• Government ties to big business– No regulation of business practices– Kickbacks to political officials

• Failure to secure goals of reconstruction

• Treatment of Native Americans• Farm protest from South and

West fail to unite• Emergence and end of Populism

Impact of the Impact of the Gilded Age Gilded Age on United States Historyon United States History

Prepared the United Prepared the United States for its future as States for its future as

an imperial power. an imperial power.

Settlement of the West and the Settlement of the West and the closing of the frontier, turned closing of the frontier, turned the attention of the nation to the attention of the nation to

newer frontiers- overseas newer frontiers- overseas territories.territories.

Influx of new immigrants Influx of new immigrants added new ingredients into added new ingredients into

American culture.American culture.

The descendants of these new immigrants The descendants of these new immigrants would be future leaders and major would be future leaders and major personalities in the United States.personalities in the United States.

The growth of American industry The growth of American industry would help make the United States would help make the United States

a global industrial power and a global industrial power and further the engine of economic further the engine of economic

progress of the 20progress of the 20thth century. century.

The corrupt business and The corrupt business and political practices of the era political practices of the era

called for reform.called for reform.

The The discrimination discrimination against African against African

Americans, Americans, Native Native

Americans, new Americans, new immigrants, and immigrants, and women lead to a women lead to a greater call for greater call for

civil rightscivil rights

protections.protections.

The The Gilded AgeGilded Age set the set the stage for the Emergence of stage for the Emergence of

Modern America. Modern America.

The Gilded Age laid the The Gilded Age laid the foundation for the United foundation for the United States of the 20States of the 20thth Century, a Century, a SUPERPOWER!SUPERPOWER!

Activity and EssayActivity and Essay

• List the pros and cons of the Gilded Age.

• Essay: Was the development of the Gilded Age good for the United States? Explain why/why not.

• 4 PARAGRAPHS.• GIVE SPECIFIC EVIDENCE• Use your notes.