INTRODUCTION: The Gilded Age is known as the time between the Civil War and World War I. The term “Gilded Age” comes from Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner’s novel The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today. Twain said it was a period that was glittering on the surface but corrupt underneath. At the same time, there was an increase in industry and labor unions, as well as an inflow of immigrants. All these factors during this time influenced the social, economic, and political atmosphere of the Gilded Age.
This time in history shares the social issues of labor work and immigration, but it benefitted with expanding the economy completely with new industries and agriculture, and in addition the presidents during this time had little impact and are noted as “the forgettable presidents”. PARAGRAPH 2: Within a society, a social issue can influence numerous individuals. Today, some social issues are unemployment, education, illegal immigration, and health care. Socially, the Gilded Age and the world today is somewhat similar.
There was many influences that participated in the social atmosphere; such as child labor, women’s rights, minorities, and immigration. In 1990, the rates of all ages of men were drastically higher than the rates of all ages of women participating in the U. S. Labor Force (Document A). Many factors can play in the role of why the rates between women and men were so different, possibly one being because women did not have the right opportunities of training in order to participate because they had to stay home and take care of their family.
The one thing you shall vainly ask for in the chief city of America is a distinctively American community. There is none; certainly not among the tenements” (How the Other Half Lives). In Document F, Jacob Riis discusses the different cultures and people from all parts of the world that came to America. Immigrants came to America for opportunities they would not have if they had not moved to America. “Yet your employer told you that it was overproduction which made him close up” (To Tramps- the unemployed, the disinherited and miserable).
Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall stand on the corpse of New York, shown in Document H. The author, Lucy Parsons, highlights the corruption on Tweed’s and Hall’s financial misleadings, in which brought thousands of Americans unemployed. The Gilded Age was a period of horrific labor and violence, leading to strikes led by the middle class towards the union. NEED A CLOSING SENTENCE PARAGRAPH 3: An economy’s resources are sufficient to satisfy all human wants and needs. Usually, economic problems arise through shortage of all the needs and wants from humans.
It is imperative, if we desire to enjoy the full blessings of life the unjust accumulation and this power for evil of aggregated wealth shall be prevented” (Knights of Labor Constitution). Throughout the Gilded Age, the economy changed completely. All new technologies improved industry and agriculture, and railway transportation allowed new forms of business. “Can you not see that it is the INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM and not the ‘boss’ which must be changed” (To Tramps- the unemployed, the disinherited and miserable).
Agriculture was the primary portion of the American economy and grew larger and larger. “One may find for the asking an Italian, a German, a French, African, Spanish, Bohemian, Russian, Scandinavian, Jewish and Chinese colony” (How the Other Half Lives). The expansion of the population from all different countries increased so drastically that the economic nobility was poverty. There comes a time when the supplies used everyday by Americans has a limit, the economy, as large as it was, was not prepared for this big of a change and it created many issues in the Gilded Age.
PARAGRAPH 4: Politicians had little impact on the 19th century as it was transforming. The Presidency is to be known as the lowest influence, the presidents during the time are known as “The forgettable presidents” in which they lead America into political corruption. “Few politicians had an impact on the tremendous change transforming America” (Independence Hall Association).
Throughout the 19th century presidential candidates there was an impeachment, corruption, possible fraud, assassination, and disgrace from own political party. “[… the coming of Chinese laborers to the U. S. be, and the same is hereby, suspended[… ]” (United States At Large). In the opinion of the Government of the United States, Chinese laborers were suspended of coming to America for the reason of endangering the good of certain localities. “[… ] while the law may be sometimes hard for the individual, it is best for the race, because it ensures the survival of the fittest in every department” (Gospel of Wealth). Carnegie wrote the novel, presented in Document D, indicating the ways in which society pays for the law of competition.
The theory “survival of the fittest” comes from Charles Darwin, describing the mechanism of natural selection. “The alarming development and aggressiveness of the power of great capitalists and corporations under the present industrial system will inevitably lead to the pauperization and hopeless degradation of the toiling masses” (Knights of Labor Constitution). Document G emphasizes on the high competition of the president candidates and the power to possess this title. Social and economic issues came into play in the debate of the parties differences and separations of opinions.
