Life in the Gilded Age
Gilded Age Term is coined by Mark Twain Gilded means coated with gold Famous author of the time Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn Gilded means coated with gold The Gilded Age was a time of rapid industrialization, development of infrastructure (such as railroads), and little government regulation of the economy
End of the frontier Indians pushed into reservations Wild West is tamed and settled
The Expansion of Industry Changes in technology Fuel Kerosene Oil Coal Iron and steel become important to industry
Steel Steel is used for: Railroads Buildings/Bridges Plows, reapers, farm tools Food cans
Edison
Thomas Edison Made power plant/light bulb With electricity, factories can work more hours and be anywhere.
Other inventions Typewriter Telephone (1876) by Alexander Graham Bell
"Mr. Watson—Come here—I want to see you"
The Age of Railroads 1890=more than 200,000 miles of track 1888=more than 2,000 railroad workers die and 20,000 are injured. Built by immigrants (Chinese in the West and Irish in the East) and African-Americans Earn very little
Joining the nation Railroads link the nation together Travel and industry increases Time zones are created to keep railroad schedules. Time still kept using instruments to track the position of the sun
Industry grows Railroads cause industry to grow George Pullman invents a sleeping car known as a Pullman car
Corruption Railroads were usually corrupt Charged high prices to travel/ship by rail Bribed government officials Made millions through trickery
Congress Acts Congress tries to combat corruption Supreme Court says they can regulate interstate trade Trade between states Congress passes the Interstate Commerce Act to regulate trade Prices needed to be “reasonable and just” for people to travel Not strong enough to control the railroads
Big Business Emerges Businesses consolidate into big industries These are run by businessmen who become very wealthy and become known as robber barons.
Government practices Government supported laissez-faire economics Means hands off Government does very little regulation Result=very wealthy businesses and lots of corruption and little competition
Social Darwinism Idea that the best individuals will succeed The survival of the fittest Government should do very little to intervene