The Gilded Age 1865 1900 The Gilded Age

The Gilded Age 1865 -1900

The Gilded Age • The Gilded Age was when America became the economic, technological and cultural power it is today. • America saw enormous changes in every area of life • It created much of the society we still have now.

The Gilded Age • What does “Gilded” mean? – Gilded – something that appears expensive or valuable on the outside but is actually made of cheap material. • What does it tell you about this time period that it is called the “Gilded Age”?

The Gilded Age Economics: – Government support helped businesses boom • Civil War & Reconstruction • Laissez-faire (hands off)– Government let businesses do whatever they wanted. – Technology improved-more efficient factories – Better transportation system – railroads & bridges – Lots of immigration = lots of cheap labor – “Big Business” is born – companies that produce a lot of goods and operate all over the nation.

The Gilded Age Economics: – Technology: • Communications– telephone, telegraph • Transportation– railroad network grew; faster, larger ships could travel further and carry more. • Electricity – gave 24 hour power and light, led to more efficient machinery; lightbulb was created • Machines & innovations – new machines for factories and farms were invented, new process for making steel made steel cheaper.

The Gilded Age Technology Technological changes affected all aspects of life. Cars Light bulb Electric power plant Barbed wire Elevators Movies Bridge and tunnel construction • Skyscrapers • • Tractors • Grammophone (early record player) • Telephone • Roller Skates • Bicycles • Steel manufacturing • Modern tech

The Gilded Age

The Gilded Age Big Business: Good or Bad? Positive Negative • Country became wealthier. • New technologies made life easier. • Quality of life improved for most Americans. • America became the dominant economic & technological power on Earth. • Not everyone benefited– rich got much richer, poor saw small improvement. • Pollution & exploitation of the environment. • Workers in factories were exploited. • Children often worked in dangerous jobs for long hours. • Many Big Businesses became monopolies. • Government corruption – businesses bribed government officials.

The Gilded Age Geographic changes How can a nation’s geography change? Expanded borders • The US purchased Alaska from Russia. Expanded Population • Tens of thousands of settlers moved west. • Millions of immigrants came to America. Expanded Cities • Cities grew in size due to growth of factories. • Americans & immigrants moved to cities in large numbers for work.

The Gilded Age Expansion West • What do you think of when you hear “The Old West”? – Where do these ideas and visuals come from? – Movies, TV, Legends – What was the old west really like?

The Gilded Age The Frontier Myth

The Gilded Age Frontier Myths • We have many myths about what the west was like. What are the facts? • Homestead Act – gave away land to settlers. Why? • Fights with Native Americans did happen until 1890. • There were “rushes” for things like gold and silver. – Few got wealthy. • Cowboys did exist, but not like in the movies. • Western states were the first to give women the right to vote. Why?

The Gilded Age • The Old West – Lonely • Farms spaced out miles apart. – Dangerous • Lack of government and law enforcement. • Native Americans were fighting for survival. – Difficult • • Harsh winters and summers. Lack of water. Hard soil made it hard to farm Railroad companies were monopolies.

The Gilded Age The Old West • Where do you still see references to the old west in our culture today? • Why do we still hang on to these images and ideas?

The Gilded Age Society • Huge increase in the number of millionaires. • Leisure time increased for many Americans because machines were doing more work. • New forms of recreation developed: – Movies – Music – Organized Sports – Physical Fitness

The Gilded Age Immigration • Millions of ‘new’ immigrants came to the US – – – • • • Italians Russians Poles Jews Chinese Latinos They came in huge numbers and face discrimination. Most settled in ghettos in the cities. Worked long hours for little pay. Most never learned to speak English fluently. Laws were passed to keep Asians out of America.

The Gilded Age Education became more important – children and immigrants needed to be “Americanized”. – High Schools were developed – More colleges were formed – Women and African-Americans got their own schools and colleges. – Women and African-Americans began to demand more rights.

The Gilded Age What are the negative aspects of the Gilded Age? • Technology increased • Productivity increased • The nation expanded and grew wealthier Everything looks good

The Gilded Age Society • Life for many in the Gilded Age was hard. – Factory work was long and dangerous. – Women had few rights. – Cities were overcrowded – led to poverty, crime and disease. – Pay for many was very low. – Farmers out west faced difficult geography and isolation. – Political power was in the hands of the wealthy. – Immigrants and minorities were taken advantage of and abused. – Children worked in mines and factories.

The Gilded Age Politics Most corrupt time in American history. • Bribes and kick-backs from businesses. • Political Bosses controlled votes • Manipulation of immigrants • Spoils system • Presidents were weak and not expected to do much

The Gilded Age Politics – Reform Near the end of the Gilded Age people started demanding a cleaner government. • More regulation of big businesses • No more spoils system • No more corruption This would lead to the Progressive Movement