Social and Cultural Trends

1. Social and Cultural Trends The Gilded Age

2. The Gilded Age • Mark Twain called American life in the 1870s the gilded age • A rotten core covered with golden paint. • Others truly felt that with the abundance of good things meant it was the golden age • The age of consumers • The age of information • The age of entertainment

3. American Consumers • More people worked for money than ever before • More goods available than ever before • Conspicuous Consumerism • A culture in which people wanted and bought the many new products on the market • Everyone could buy stuff now except for the poorest working class laborers

4. The Birth of Advertising • Rowland H Macy opened what he called a department store in New York in 1858 • The single largest store in America • Used wide spread advertising on a variety of goods • Created the standard for stores around America • By 1870 all major cities had department stores • Jordan Marsh in Boston • Marshall Field in Chicago • Wanamaker’s in Philadelphia

5. Modern Consumerism • Wannamaker improves customer satisfaction • Money back guarantee • John Wannamaker became post master general • Lowered shipping rates and began free delivery to rural areas • Boom in mail order catalog business • Name Brands and Logos became popular with consumers

6. A Higher Standard of Living • Success began to measured by what you buy • A rush to modernize your home grew in the middle class and upper working class • Cost of living was decreasing and quality of life was improving

7. The Victorian Era • The end of the 19th century is often called the Victorian Era after the Queen of England • The Rich were Richer than ever before • Middle class tried to imitate • Rising expectation of cleanliness and more complicated meals • More time spent on this • Luxuries would become common • Life of men also changed • Became commuters and worked hard

8. Mass Culture • The communication and advertising across the nation made Americans more alike. • Clothing was the same across the country • Toys were the same city to city and state to state. • Food choices were the same house to house • This phenomenon was known as Mass Culture

9. Newspapers • Newspapers reflected and increased mass culture • Between 1870 and 1900 the number of newspapers in the country jumped from 600 to 1600

10. Joseph Pulitzer • A Hungarian immigrant • Fought in the civil war • Moved to New York in 1880s to start the morning paper he called The World. • So successful he started an evening paper • The job of the newspaper was to stir up controversy and inform people. • Focused on political corruption, comics, sports, and illustrations. • Get as many readers as possible. • Got so good many papers copied his, including his biggest competitor, William Randolph Hurst • Also more newspapers for immigrants and African Americans sprang up around the country.

11. Literature and Arts of the Golden Age • Mark Twain • Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn • Novels that explored the harsh realities were popular • Stephen Crane • Maggie: A girl of the streets • The Red Badge of Courage • Moral issues were popular as well • Horatio Alger • Wrote about characters who succeeded by hard work • Art was also inspired by the golden age • Thomas Eakins • Medical operations • Robert Henri • Created the Ashcan School which dramatized the starkness and squalor of New York City slums and street lifes.

12. Education in the Golden Age • More Americans could read than ever before • Public education grew • Grade school education became compulsory • Some states even had public high schools • Kindergartens started as a way to help working class mothers • Literacy rate was 90 percent by 1900

13. Curriculum Expansion • Science, woodworking, and drafting all started to appear in the public schools • Providing skills that workers needed in growing industries • Leaders counted on schools to Americanize immigrants • Teaching English and training them to be good citizens • John Dewey introduced new teaching methods • Students learn by doing, still debated and talked about

14. New forms of Entertainment • Amusement Parks • 1884 Lamarcus Thompson opened the worlds first roller coaster • Opened at Coney Island which became the first amusement park • Amusement parks became a go to for entertainment for people who couldn’t afford a long vacation but could afford entrance to a park

15. Buffalo Bill • In 1883 Buffalo Bill Cody threw a fourth of July celebration at a ranch near his home. • So many people came that he took the show on the road • Defined peoples views of the American west as he toured America and Europe. • Show included Annie Oakley • Sitting Bull, the Sioux Leader • And trick riding, roping, and shooting

16. Other outdoor entertainment • Ringling Brothers Circus and Barnum and Bailey Circus • Traveled around the country putting on shows and displays through out the US • The Chautauqua Circuit • A religious summer camp • Moving religious camp • Storytelling and lectures and moving picture shows

17. City Entertainment • Vaudeville Shows • Combination shows of Musicals, and off color comedy • In 1881 Tony Pastor opened a theater in New York aiming to provide a clean straight forward variety show • By 1900 many companies had traveling vaudeville shows. • Movie Theaters • Nickelodeons • The Great train Robbery

19. City Entertainment • Movie Theaters • Nickelodeons • The Great train Robbery • Music • Big Bands and Jazz Music grew popular • Expositions of new technology became popular • Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Omaha

20. Sports • Baseball • National League organized in 1876 and baseball became a public sport • Fenway Park and other major ball parks appeared in cities across America • Chicago White Stockings refused to play with African Americans and Segregated teams came in the 1890s • Take me out to the ball game written in 1908

21. Sports • Horse Racing, Bicycle Racing, Boxing, and Football all became popular. • University teams formed on campuses around the country • People worried about the violence of the game • Rule changes made it into the sport we need today. • James Naismith • Invented Basketball at the Springfield Massachusetts YMCA in 1891