The Gilded Age Essay - 1094 Words

The Gilded Age Mark Twain collaborated with Charles Dudley Warner on The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today. Published in 1973, as Twain’s earliest work of extended fiction, The Gilded Age gives a name to the period of opulence and corruption at the end of the 19th century. Portraying the superficial luxury of Washington and high society, the authors describe â€Å"The general laxity of the time, and the absence of a sense of duty toward any part of the community but the individual himself† (Twain 203). Twain’s The Gilded Age, like Wharton’s The Age of Innocence focuses on high society. Yet, the imperfections in the gilding betray the dramatic change of the period. Forces of corporatization, unionization, immigration, urbanization, populism,†¦show more content†¦The Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor soon followed, organizing strikes and negotiations as leverage against the powerful big business. However, big business worked around labor unions with â€Å"yellow dog contracts† requiring employees not to join a union and with armed â€Å"Pinkerton Detectives† hired to combat strikes (Kingwood College Library). Immigration and Urbanization The manufacturing jobs promised by large corporations brought many people to the cities and effected widespread immigration and urbanization during the Gilded Age. Living conditions were harsh and the familiarity of small towns disappeared in the crowds of the cities. Technological advances in architecture allowed for taller buildings and higher concentrations of people. Upper and middle class families escaped to suburbs as an influx of immigrants and lower class workers flocked to the cities to find employment. The flood of â€Å"new immigrants† from southern and eastern Europe resulted in the creation of many anti-immigration groups (Digital History). Populism While the cities urbanized, the financial crisis of rural farmers fueled the populist movement. The populists campaigned for a bimetallic standard to back American currency with hopes of creating inflation to diminish the growing debts of farmers. Regulation of railroad monopolies on shipping was also a major concern (Morgan 149-170). DemocratShow MoreRelatedThe Gilded Age : An Analysis Of The Gilded Age793 Words   |  4 Pages The term Gilded age comes from Twain and Dudleys book named the Gilded Age. The world Gilded itself means something that is covered in gold but actually has nothing of value underneath. The gilded age was an attempt to fix a broken system after reconstruction had finished, but in reality it was just putting a blanket over the real problem. The gilded age was a good time for the higher ups, those who owned business or were in the government, they were able to benefit at the cost of American workersRead MoreThe Gilded Age1785 Words   |  8 PagesThe Unscrupu lousness of the Avaricious The Gilded Age was a time in American history, from the 1870s to the 1890s, which ostensibly characterized the country based on its economic and technological advancements. However this era’s development served as a mere facade for the corruption and classism which occurred during the time. From economic manipulation to immorality in politics, the Gilded Age is best characterized by the unscrupulous nature of individuals who sought to attain superficial successRead MoreEntertainment in the Gilded Age1450 Words   |  6 Pagesentrepreneurs and business people of the time, because there was money to be made in this desire for amusement. Of course, this was not the whole story of the new Gilded Age, but it was definitely an era of growing leisure time and the business that came along with it. One of the most popular forms of entertainment during the Gilded Age was theater, particularly Vaudeville, which was a type of variety theater prominent in late 19th century America. Of course, similar types of variety shows had existedRead MoreThe Gilded Age Of America1621 Words   |  7 Pageshelp build and maintain a better America. The Gilded Age, during the late 1800’s, was a time in America where we experienced explosive economic growth, serious social problems, new innovative technology, and the rise of corporations and corruption in politics. We have learned from some of these things that we went through in the Gilded Age and fixed them, but we are still facing some of the problems we faced back then, today. During the Gilded Age, America experienced many economic and technologicalRead MoreThe Gilded Age And The Age Of Information1422 Words   |  6 PagesThe term the â€Å"Gilded Age† was coined by Mark Twain. â€Å"By this, he meant that the period was glittering on the surface but corrupt underneath.† With its period of extreme economic growth, there was tremendous wealth, but only for the wealthy. The â€Å"Second Gilded Age,† which some say was brought on as the Information Age, brings a level of inequality to America that has never been seen before. Experts believe that this shift could kill the American dream. The Gilded Age and the Age of Information areRead MoreThe Progressive And Gilded Age914 Words   |  4 PagesThe Progressive and Gilded Age in America The Progressives were a group of reformers such as writers, politicians, and Social welfare advocate, etc. living mainly in cities during the early 20th century and working to change legislative issues, financial aspects, and good society. They accepted that change could originate from inside of man, and along these lines, dismisses the believe of Social Darwinism and regular determination. They were in charge of the section of many laws, including restrictionRead MoreGilded Age Essay872 Words   |  4 Pagestroubles, we shouldnt test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power.† When Mark Twain and Charles Dudley coined the phrase ‘gilded age’ to describe what they saw in the late 19th century I’m sure they would agree wholeheartedly with Mr. O’Rourke. What does it mean ‘gilded age’? Gilded means to coat with a thin layer of gold, which I’m sure almost always is covering an inferior product. When one thinks of America one of the first thoughts that pop intoRead MoreAnalysis Of The Gilded Age1348 Words   |  6 PagesNew Spirits is a major text in Gilded Age historiography because Edwards encompasses social, political, and economic history, weaving them together into a cohesive narrative. Critics mention her lack of footnotes (but are quick to point out that her extensive â€Å"for further reading† sections help to balance this) and that her emphasis on cohesion may be overstated. Edward’s thesis is that the Gilded Age was not a patently bad time in American history, but that America underwent tremendous change, usheringRead MoreThe Era Of The Gilded Age1153 Words   |  5 Pagesthis time in history seemed progressive on many fronts, it was known as the â€Å"Gilded Age†. The Gilded Age was a three decade time in America that involved an expanding economy and a useless government. The thought of going to an American city, getting a job, an d getting paid was ideal to most outsiders. The problem was, once they arrived and found a job, it was not as wonderful as it seemed . It was called the Gilded Age because, from the outside, everything looked wonderful, but on the inside itRead MoreGilded Age Dbq Essay1643 Words   |  7 PagesThe Gilded Age was the time of rapid economic growth for the United States. The period where little corporations turned into a millionaire company. The time of one of the most dynamic, contentious, and volatile periods in American history happened. National wealth increased dramatically but their was a problem for the poor and the farmers of the U.S. People may say that the Gilded Age was the era of corruption, harsh labor and brutal industrial competition, but others think that the Gilded Age is