During The Gilded Age Is Greed Good

In this paper I will explain how the railroads changed American society, politics, and its economy during this era. Secondly, I’ll talk about the 1896 election and how that impacted America and changed American Politics and elections form that point on. Lastly, I will identify the 4 themes of the Gilded Age and explain the causes of these themes and the consequences it had on American politics, economy, and its society. When railroads were invented in America, and first started being used commercially and for businesses, it was a major technological leap. They created a huge demand for goods.

Chapter six examines the anti-Chinese sentiment with the emerging class antagonism and turmoil between white capitalists and workers. The unwelcomed arrival of Chinese immigrants brought along their own social organizations such as the huiguan, fongs, and tongs. These types of social organizations secured areas of employment and housing for Chinese immigrants in California. This social structure that was unknown to Anglos led them to also categorize Chinese on the same level as Indians by depicting them as lustful heathens whom were out to taint innocent white women. These images were also perpetuated onto Chinese women, thus, also sexualizing them as all prostitutes.

Captains of Industry or Robber Barons? “What do I care about the law? Ain’t I got the power?” This is a quote from the business magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who was the leader of the railroad industry during the Gilded Age. The Gilded Age was a superficial period in the US History, in which the economy grew at a suprising rate.

The Chinese Exclusion Act (CEA) was passed in 1882. The CEA was an act passed to keep all Chinese immigrants out of America. This act continued to detain the Chinese out of America for the next 60 years. But why was it passed is the question? I believe the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed because of the continual rumors going around about the Chinese.

Cassidy Bulger In the final years of the 19th Century, the rise of a more business-focused society lead to both advantages and abuse to be cast upon varying members of society. Protests against the abuse, especially in the workplace, lead to a desire for change. Between 1875 and 1900, groups of laborers banded together in Unions and put forth their efforts into trying to improve their position within society. These Labor Unions were persistent, but propaganda easily shaped the public’s opinion, and management often retaliated against their efforts. With this being said, organized labor was rather unsuccessful in significantly improving the positions of workers.

In 1877, amid an economic depression, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroads lowered their workers' wages by 20 percent. Their workers unionized in a strike that started in West Virginia. 2/3 of the nation joined, opposing the federal troops sent by President Hayes to end the strike. America’s Gilded Age was an era of confrontation between management and labor. It was an era of economic depression, growing industrialism and abysmal working conditions.

The Gilded Age was an age of rapid economic growth. Railroads, factories, and mines were slowly popping up across the country, creating a variety of new opportunities for entrepreneurs and laborers alike. These new inventions and opportunities created “...an unprecedented accumulation of wealth” (GML, 601). But the transition of America from a small farming based nation to a powerful industrial one created a huge rift between social classes. Most people were either filthy rich or dirt poor, with workers being the latter.

Through our country's history, we have always dealt with power inequality. It has been an issue since as far as we can remember, although specifically the late 19th century was a very climatic era for the United States. It is considered to be the time of the most exceptional growth, prosperity, and innovation. Even so, the country had also been sent into a devastation because of the Civil War. The prime difficulty during this time was not only the constant struggles between the gap of the rich and the poor, but also the extreme fights towards power and wealth.

The end of the reconstruction era gave rise to the gilded age. The gilded age was a time of economic growth. It was the second industrial revolution, urbanization, immigration and political/economic corruption. The congress and the big business were more influential than the presidency. The term ‘Gilded Age’ was termed by Mark Twain who described the wealthy who were covered in a ‘layer of gold’, a superficial layer can be peeled and reveals unpleasant things.

Jessica HillisMr. GillardAP US History5 January 2007Essay 16: Gilded AgeThroughout history, certain periods of time have been given certain names based on thehappenings that occurred. Many have called the period of 1865 to 1901 the “Gilded Age”, be-cause it was “shiny and pretty” on the outside but it was “rough and ugly” underneath. The term“Gilded Age” was actually coined by Mark Twain who satired the Gilded Age with a GoldenAge.

Imagine working sixteen hours a day in an unsanitary, dangerous, place for a big business gaining two dollars. This is what laboring-class Americans had to go through during the Gilded age. Politically, the first largest American labor union was formed during the Gilded age and many other organizations formed as well as violent strikes. Socially, different ethnics joined together to share their thoughts and realize the evils of big business and of the federal government. Mentally, most we 're losing their personal life while some were financially stable and glad.

The Gilded Age was to describe America in the late nineteenth century. The outside of the US seemed glamorous and splendid alongside industrial development and massive economic growth. However, the dark sides were hidden beneath it. In my perspective, I believe we are living in the 2nd Gilded age.

Greed can be a good thing if it is used for the right reasons. For example, greed can be the key that leads to success. If a person wants to achieve recognition, they’ll go extreme measures to make it happen such as inventing something, excelling in their studies, or even being the best. However, in most cases, greed can lead to disaster. Having the desire to obtain something a person already possesses is selfish.

I feel this had a part in the act because it made Americans feel like they were monopolizing and possibly staging an uprising. STEP 2: Read document A-D. For each, write any evidence you find for what led to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Based on this document, why did many white Americans support the Chinese Exclusion Act? Document A Anti-Chinese Play With this document as my ONLY piece of evidence, I would say the Americans passed the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act because the Chinese were trying to take all the jobs and money. They thought the Americans were fools and were trying to make sure they had no money, even if it meant making their family suffer the consequences.

It all started when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, causing the U.S. citizens to be extremely furious and unite the support of media to create propagandas. The Japanese are portrayed with slanted small eyes and buck teeth- undermining the intelligence of their race; moreover, they were even dehumanized and depicted as animals. The U.S media was very biased when comparing the Chinese to the Japanese. While the Chinese man had an amiable appearance and a slender body, the Japanese had an unpleasant frown on his face and was described as short and stout (Miles). The article “WWII Propaganda: The Influence of Racism” also states that “The Chinese man’s occupation implies that he helps people, while the title of Japanese warrior alludes to danger and disloyalty,” (ibid).