1. Introduction to the Gilded Age

2. The Gilded Age
Name comes from a Mark Twain novel of the same name; actually a quote from Shakespeare: “To gild refined gold, to paint the lily…is wasteful and ridiculous excess.”
Gilding is the art of applying a thin layer of gold to a surface.
The Gilded Age is often seen as a period that looks good on the surface but ugly underneath.

3. Gilded Age Major areas of study during this time period:
Industrialization
Immigration
Big Business and Labor
Imperialism

4. Industrialization US Industrial Revolution changed the way people
Thought
Earned their living
Dressed
Traveled
Related to one another
Spent their free time

5. Industrialization Advantages of an Industrial Revolution
Higher life expectancy
Better overall health
Literacy
Minimum health care
Access to technology and goods that improve life
More wealth

6. Industrialization Preconditions for Industrialization:
Fertile soil, coal and iron ore
Basic inventions
Infrastructure (transportation systems)
Large working force
Money for investment
Talented, ambitious people
Favorable government policy

7. Industrialization US meets the preconditions
Plenty of access to natural resources across the US
Many inventors and inventions (interchangeable parts, steam boat and engine, sewing machine, telegraph, 6 shooter, steel, reaper, electric lights, phonograph, telephone, airplane).
Moving assembly line

8. Industrialization Preconditions, cont.
Two sources for workforce: people moving to the city due to mechanization of farming and immigration.
Women’s lives changed: work as typists, factories, salespersons and clerks, teaching and nursing.
17% of the workforce
1.7 million children under 16 also in workforce by 1900
Lower pay than men for same jobs

9. Industrialization Preconditions, cont.
Infrastructure: Transcontinental Railroad finished in ,000 miles of railroad built between
Money: Profit from China trade and from industrialists invested in new enterprises as well as foreign investment fueled development.

10. Industrialization Preconditions, cont. Entrepreneurs Government policy
Vanderbilt – shipping and railroads
Carnegie – iron and steel
J.P. Morgan – banking, financed many including Edison.
Government policy
American system
Open immigration
High tariffs
Sound money
Strikes put down
LAISSEZ-FAIRE
Survival of the fittest