Research Paper On The Gilded Age

Gilded age 1878-1889 was the age of fast growth of industry and immigrants in America history. The production of steel and iron rose radically than other time. In contrast, the Western resources increased such as silver,lumber, and gold. As well as the transportation also improved. Railroad develop and move goods from resources rich west to east.

American settlers wanted to expand from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean for more opportunities. The settlers decided to make an expansion far west because they believed that there would gain more money, they believed in Manifest destiny because they felt that it was there tight to expand if they wanted to. Some reasons for the settlers to move West were mining opportunities, adventures, expanding railroads for easier access for trade and transportation, and a great deal of land for cheap. Also,” During hard seasons, when crops failed or when farm prices fell, many headed for a new beginning in the West” (Walter Havighurst, First Book Of Pioneers). There are many pros and cons with the expansion, for example some pros are… created new jobs, it was discovered that they could get medicine from plants, they had new ways of trading goods through mining and new transportation, and the people of the South wanted to move slavery to the North but the people of the North did not want slavery to become legalized.

The Gilded Age was the period 1870 to 1900 were Industries grew exponentially and working environments for employees decreased. Coined by Mark Twain, it was a satire phrase to describe the increase social problems that were the result of a few businessmen becoming rich. The Progressive Era began as a social movement and grew into a political movement in the United States, spanning from the 1890s to 1920s. This was an era of political reform and social activism.

The Gilded Age occurred from 1870 to 1900 and the meaning behind the name was that the country was “gilded,” that on the outside the United States looks good, just like a gilded necklace with a gold coating, but, under the coating

The Gilded Age took place in the U.S in the late 19th century, from about 1870 to 1900. It was a time of invention, and the development of many modern technologies that are still in use today. But behind the appearance of the courtly mankind wide strides toward the future of technology, and all the new amazing advancements, The Gilded Age was terrible time for all thoses that were not rich, white, men, for this time period was defined by them, for them, and it was a hellhole for everyone else in the country. Horrifyingly enough, very many similarities connect the time of The Gilded Age with today. The Gilded Age was a seemingly highly progressive period, however, underneath its shiny exterior is a much more ugly truth.

The westward expansion was impacted by three main things and that is social, political, and economic. The westward expansion was impacted on a social scales with the tension between the Native Americans and the U.S., also during the journey to the west many people died. On a political scale the westward expansion was affected by the many wars and treaties that has to happen in order for the U.S. to gain the land, which then allows us to expand to the west. The westward expansion was effected by the economy because of the many technology that was created like trains, also because of the westward expansion there was an increase in business and industry's triumphed and since businesses grew there were many job opportunities which inclined people

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.

The Westward Expansion all started when America made the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. There were many benefits from the purchase for the US that the French didn’t realize before they sold it. The purchase gave the US access to the Mississippi river which allowed for expansion of river trade to the North and South from the center of the US. The port city of New Orleans was bought by the US and its prosperity benefited the US greatly. The US sent Lewis and Clark west to investigate the land they purchased.

Was Mark Twain correct in calling the Gilded age? “Even though the era following the Reconstruction was one of the great invention and economic growth, all did not share in that prosperity.” For example according to Introduction to American History in 1860’s and 1900’s the millage of railroads increased from a 30,000 miles to a 193,000 mileage. One million to ten millions and the number of workers from 1.3 million to 5.3 million.

The Gilded Age lasted from 1870 to World War 1, “1900s.” The Gilded Age was a period of fast economic development, but also much social struggle. Mark Twain in the late nineteenth century founded the “Gilded” Age, which means covered with gold on the outside, but not really golden on the inside, for example, tin. This period of time was glittering on the surface but corrupt underneath. In other words, the outside looked beautiful, but the inside looked old and trashy.

For some, it was destiny to move west. Although there were many conflicts and disagreements between ourselves and others, it was destiny to move west because of overpopulation, new inventions of transportation methods, and new opportunities. In the 19th Century, overpopulation was one of the major reasons for Westward Expansion. Immigrants were flooding into America for new opportunities and new ways of life and there was just not enough land to suffice the needs for all of the people. These immigrants were arriving in America in the port cities on the East Coast.

The time period from when the Second Industrial Revolution was beginning, up until President McKinley’s assassination in 1901, is known as the Gilded Age. After the Civil War, many people headed out West to pursue agriculture, and many immigrants moved to urban areas to acquire jobs in industrial factories. It is in this context that farmers and industrial workers had to respond to industrialization. Two significant ways farmers and industrial workers responded to industrialization in the Gilded Age, were creating the Populist Party and the American Federation of Labor (AFL).

What was the Gilded Age and why did Mark Twain refer to it as such? To help understand this question, one must know the meaning of the word gild. Per Merriam Webster, the term gild means to “to give an attractive but often deceptive appearance to” (Gild, n.d.). After the Civil War the American people had become tired of all the corruption and simply wanted to see an end to it and to have a stable economy. The Gilded Age was fashioned to be prosperous times for all Americans, promising wealth, and an end to past political corruption.

How did the United States expand over the years and why? The expansion of the United States was a vital part of America’s history and greatly affects how we live today. America's early days only started in 13 states and then progressively grew to 50 states in total. The time throughout the 1800’s and what happened throughout that time greatly impacted how America expanded land, resources, opportunity, trade, and money. Two of many main causes that evoked American expansion was the amount of opportunity that America could take, the idea of Manifest destiny, and the amount of power that the US had on other countries.

When America broke free from Great Britain they had the idea to expand westward. In the 1800’s the idea of Manifest destiny came up, it was the belief that it was “The God-given right to expand from coast to coast.” Many Americans liked the idea of expanding west but there were still people in the north who prefer they wouldn't expand. Americans were starting to become congested in the land they had, some already started to move into Texas because of Stephen Austin who created a deal to let American settlers come into Texas and live under their law. Texas wanted to become part of America, but America said no, they disliked the idea of Texas being part of America because, they believed it would start a war between them and Mexico, and it would