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1870—1900. THE GILDED AGE. BELL RINGER #7. Define nativism Who was being persecuted during the late 19 th century? Why did so many Americans oppose immigration during the late 19 th century? PAGE 340. BELL RINGER #8. What is a political machine? What is a party boss?
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1870—1900 THEGILDED AGE
BELL RINGER #7 Define nativism Who was being persecuted during the late 19th century? Why did so many Americans oppose immigration during the late 19th century? PAGE 340
BELL RINGER #8 What is a political machine? What is a party boss? How were party bosses able to run political machines so easily during the late 19th century? PAGE 345
BELL RINGER #9 • Explain each amendment: • 13th • 14th • 15th
THE GILDED AGE Something is gilded if it is covered with gold on the outside but made of cheaper material inside. By 1900 the U.S. marveled with new inventions, experienced rapid industrial growth, built skyscrapers, and had electric lights light up the dark sky. However, beneath the surface lay corruption, poverty, crime, and great disparities in wealth between rich and poor.
INDUSTRIALIZATION The Industrial Revolution began in the U.S. in the early 1800s, but didn’t take off until after the Civil War. By the early 1900s, Americans had transformed the U.S. into the world’s leading industrial nation. An abundance of natural resources and the development of new technology allowed the U.S. to make this industrial transformation possible.
RAILROADS The railroad boom in the U.S. began in 1862 with the signing of the Pacific Railway Act. ***The act provided for the construction of a transcontinental railroad by both the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific railroad companies.*** ***The federal government gave land grants to many railroad companies in order to support the economic development of the West.***
SOCIAL DARWINISM “Survival of the fittest” Social Darwinism was based on the ideas of Charles Darwin and his theory of natural selection. ***Social Darwinism justified the existence of poverty, the success of big business, and the power of millionaire industrialists.*** Many Social Darwinists believed in laissez faire.
LAISSEZ-FAIRE Laissez-faire was a French phrase for, “let people do as they choose.” People that believed in laissez-faire argued that the government should not interfere with the economy. ***Laissez-faire relies on supply and demand to regulate prices and wages.***
BIG BUSINESS The rise of big business in the U.S. occurred at the end of the 19th century. By 1900 big businesses dominated the economy with complex factories, warehouses, offices, and distribution facilities. Competition grew between corporations, eventually leading to the consolidation of industries. Vertical Integration Horizontal Integration ***Industrial consolidation and trusts reduced competition between corporations.***
INDUSTRIAL CONSOLIDATION • ***Vertical integration – the combining of companies that supply equipment and services needed for a particular industry.*** • ***Horizontal integration – the combining of competing firms into one corporation.*** • Successful business leaders often eliminated their competition by using vertical or horizontal integration. Carnegie Steel – Pittsburgh, PA Standard Oil Company – Cleveland, OH
ANDREW CARNEGIE Andrew Carnegie was the first to increase manufacturing efficiency by vertically integrating the steel industry. He became one of the richest men the world has ever known and also one of its biggest philanthropists. Carnegie believed in Social Darwinism and laissez-faire, but came up with the Gospel of Wealth. This philosophy held that wealthy Americans bore the responsibility of engaging in philanthropy. 0
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER John D. Rockefeller became the richest man ever by monopolizing the oil refining business. By the end of the 1800s, his Standard Oil Company, had gained control of more than 90 percent of the oil refining business in the U.S. His success came through mergers, elimination of competition, and by lowering shipping costs. His net worth adjusted for inflation has said to have been between 392 and 663 billion dollars.
MARXISM In the late 1800s the ideas of Karl Marx led to an influential philosophy in Europe, known as Marxism. Marx argued that workers would eventually revolt, seize control of the factories, and overthrow the government. This would leave a Communist society where no social classes exist. Working conditions during the Industrial Revolution almost caused Marx’s predictions to come true in the U.S.
WORKING CONDITIONS Working conditions during the Industrial Revolution were very difficult, dangerous, and often unhealthy. Strikes and protests were very common during the late 19th century. Many times angry workers would walk off the job and even destroy equipment. Many workers believed that the only way to improve their working conditions was to organize labor unions.
LABOR UNIONS • Industrialization raised the standard of living in the U.S., but it also caused the value of money to rise (deflation). • Already dealing with harsh working conditions, companies now wanted to pay workers less money for the same work. • This led to the creation of several labor unions: • Knights of Labor • American Railway Union (ARL) • American Federation of Labor (AFL) • Women’s Trade Union League (WTUL)
Eight-hour workday. Abolition of child and prison labor. Equal pay for men and women. Safety codes in the workplace. KNIGHTS OF LABOR
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR (AFL), 1886 • Catered to the skilled worker. • Represented workers in matters of national legislation. • Maintained a national strike fund. • Mediated disputes between management and labor. • Pushed for closed shops. Samuel Gompers
IMMIGRATION Between 1860 and 1900 over 14 million immigrants came to the U.S. Job opportunities, few immigration restrictions, forced military service and religious persecutions in their home countries, the democratic government in the U.S., and the opportunity for social advancement were all reasons why immigrants came to the U.S. Many immigrants arrived in the U.S. after a 14 day journey under harsh conditions on a steamship and disembarked at an immigration processing center. Ellis Island – New York 1892 Angel Island – California 1910
NATIVISM • Nativism is an extreme dislike for foreigners by native-born people and a desire to limit immigration. • ***Immigrants from eastern Europe were often discriminated against because they were primarily Catholic.*** • ***Many labor unions opposed immigration, arguing that most immigrants would work for low wages.***
