1. Balancing Capital and Labor
The Gilded Age
Balancing Capital and Labor

2. Part I: The Gilded Age Second Industrial Revolution
Capitalism (Big Business and Robber Barons)
Time of unprecedented economic, industrial, and population expansion from e

3. The Gild The Boldt Castle The Astor Family
Breakers of the Vanderbilt Family
The Mount of Edith Wharton
Lockwood-Mathews Mansion

4. Urbanization

5. Mark Twain
The “Gilded Age” was coined by Samuel Clemens in his book of the same name.
Explored political and economic corruption in the United States.
The central characters were tied together in a government railroad bribery scheme.
Depicted an American society that, despite its appearance of promise and prosperity, was riddled with corruption and scandal.

6. Second Industrial Revolution 1871-1914
Marked by enormous growth and consolidation of wealth and ownership
Major Industries
Railroads
Automobile
Steel
Oil
Electricity
Communication
The Industrialists or Robber Barons
William Vanderbilt (Railroads)
Jay Gould (Railroads)
Andrew Carnegie (Steel)
John D. Rockefeller (Oil)
Henry Ford (Automobiles)
“Captains of Industry”
Forced competitors out of
business by reducing wages thereby
guaranteeing price control.

7. Vertical and Horizontal Integration
As developed by Andrew Carnegie
Why is this a potentially dangerous business practice?

8. Railroad Revolution
Helped the creation of new towns through federal land grants.
Created new markets.
Fueled other industries.

9. “The Modern Colossus of (Rail) Roads”
Railroad Consolidation
“The Modern Colossus of (Rail) Roads”
Joseph Keppler drew this cartoon in 1879, featuring the railroad “giants” William Vanderbilt (top), Jay Gould (right) and Cyrus W. Fields (left). The three magnates formed a railroad trust out of their Union Pacific, New York Central, and Lake Shore & Dependence Lines.

10. “What a funny little government.”
John D. Rockefeller
Monopolized oil industry – by 1880 owned 90% of market the refining industry.
Profited from Trust Agreements
“What a funny little government.”

11. Social Darwinism
4,000 Americans became millionaires during the Gilded Age.
Used Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection to explain the economic evolution of human society.
Wealth was the result of strong work ethic.
The poor are lazy and inferior and deserved no aid.
Supported laissez-faire.
Read, “Survival of the Fittest”
Herbert Spencer

12. Politics in the Gilded Age

13. Machines
Political organizations or clubs that intimidated and controlled the vote in cities and regions- Tammany Hall, Pendergast (KC)
Big business controlled politics and politicians