The Gilded Age - the wider debates Flashcards
What is the wider debate for AA in the Gilded Age?
Seen as time of restriction and even regression for AA in south as Reconstruction failed and there was backlash against it from powerful landowners and businessmen took full force. Others have tried to argue that there were distinct economic, cultural and educational gains.
What is the judgement for AA in the Gilded Age?
Economic advancements like setting up insurance and banking businesses e.g. 1544 schools in Georgia and Black Ivy League Unis. 1865 1 in 20 NA could read, 1900 1 in 2.
Legal and political rights reversed by JCL and unresponsive gov. after Hayes-T comp. This is more important than economic gains - these related to small no. of AA, little impact on sharecroppers in South.
What is the wider debate for women?
Historians claiming there was progress focus on political dev.s - temperance and suffrage campaigns. Others highlight continuities in socio-cultural and economic aspects that affected most women.
What is the judgement for womens position in the Gilded Age?
Diff. for diff. groups of women, varies across class. Political advancements improved situation for middle and upper class women but economic situation meant v. little change for most women, continued championing of sep. spheres. Socio-cultural position made almost no progress, still suffered w/ negative male attitudes.
What is the wider debate for NA in the Gilded Age?
Some argue NA make gains in tis period, particularly in education. Use tribes like the Navajo who made considerable gains from reservation life.
Navajo a minority group and most historians see this as the period in which NA lost independence.
What is the judgement for NA in the Gilded Age?
More regression than progress. Some gains, allowed tribal life to continue, Navajo example.
However this is an exception not a rule. Life on reservations harsh, economic hardship during 1880s led to cuts in food subsidies. Reservations shrinking overall, Dawes made this worse w/ allotment system. 1890 Wounded Knee destruction of Sioux ‘a ppls dream died here’.
What is the wider debate for workers in the Gilded Age?
Some argue there was distinct improvement as there was sig. growth in unions and organisations - KOL and others.
However, limited nature of reforms by gov. who had close alliance w/ big business leaders - seen in Pullman strike.
What is the judgement For workers in the Gilded Age?
Things looked good on the surface but were not underneath: De facto v. de jure.
What can the judgements on convincingness?
- Represents the experience of most at the time
- Doesn’t ignore key info
- Covers the whole time period best
- Makes acceptable generalisations
- Factually correct and doesn’t overstate claims
