Overview of the Gilded Age Flashcards
Who coined the term “Gilded Age”?
Mark Twain
What does “Gilded” mean?
Something that has been covered in gold to prevent the visibility of rust
How can the term “Gilded” be seen with this period in America?
There was growing economic prosperity but there were also lots of ruthless businesses and corruption
What is the period of time considered the Gilded Age?
1877-1890
What did many businesses create (beginning with t) to start monopolies?
Trusts
What are trusts?
A group of businesses in a certain industry attempting to get the government to do a certain action in their favour
How much expansion had there been by the end of the Gilded Age in terms of with the Frontier?
The Frontier was closed by the end of the Gilded age so all of America had been explored
What can be said about the Gilded Age with its point in American History?
It was a high point
What impact did the Civil War have on industry / technological innovation?
There was the growth in industries for consumer products, instead of just wartime products.
Why was America set-up for a strong industrial revolution?
They had a continent of valuable resources such as coal, oil, steel, and many agricultural products
What was the impact of Industrialisation in terms of with the rest of the world and businesses?
Many European investors saw the US as a good place for business
What was the impact of Industrialisation in terms of with Immigrants? How significant was its scale?
Immigration occurred heavily, which almost doubled the USA Population.
What was there a larger need for due to Industrialisation?
Work
What were created for the first time in America in large cities due to Industrialisation?
Skyscrapers
What are monopolies in business?
Businesses that have a massive control over a specific field of industry
Name 3 Monopolies of the Gilded Age
Carnegie Steel Monopoly, Vanderbilt Rail Monopoly, Rockefeller Oil Monopoly
Why were monopolies a problem for quality of products in their field?
No competition means no drive to improve their products or reduce prices
Who was James Fisk? What did he do?
He was a Robber Baron who manipulated finances and was involved in bribery
Name a government effort to fight the issues of monopolies (And the year this was created)
1890 Sherman Antitrust Act
Name a Farmers movement that attempted to improve conditions for farmers
The Granger Movement
What idea did some rich people have in society about why they were successful?
Social Darwinism
What is Social Darwinism?
The belief that some people are biologically superior to others so are able to adapt better to economic conditions and become wealthy
What does AFL stand for? When was it founded?
American Federation of Labour, founded 1886
What did some workers begin to think about in terms of the corrupt system?
They started to become more radical and wished to destroy big businesses
What did the Government do in this age to help the workers conditions improve?
They did very little
Why did the Government do very little to help workers’ lives improve?
Because they were bribed by monopolies telling them not to do it
What happened in the Haymarket Riot? When did it happen and how violent was it to start with?
An originally peaceful protest in 1886 escalated when one protestor threw dynamite at a police officer
What happened with the Homestead Strike? How did the strike stop?
Carnegie Steel Workers went on strike so armed forces were hired to stop the strike
When did the Dakota Gold Rush occur? What issue was there with Native Americans?
- Native Americans owned this land supposedly, but it was now being invaded by the USA.
What war broke out due to tensions over the Dakota Gold Rush? How long did it last?
The Great Sioux War of 1876, lasting around 10-12 years
How were African Americans treated after the Reconstruction Era ended?
They were terrorised and lynched and criminalised
What laws were put in place in Southern States against African Americans?
Jim Crow Laws
What act was abolished in 1883?
1875 Civil Rights Act
What Act was created against Chinese Immigration? When was it made and what did it say?
1882 Chinese Exclusion Act banned all Chinese immigrants for 20 years and made all existing Chinese in the USA in to aliens (illegal citizens)
What were political machines?
Organisations which helped Immigrants get on their feet in America in exchange for the immigrants voting for the party
Name a pro and a con for Political Party Machines?
Pro: Immigrants could get jobs easier and make money Con: This would result in unfair elections in which the people who got in to power would be very corrupt
Which Era came after the Gilded Age?
The Progressive Era
