Period 6 is known as the Gilded Age because of the rapid expansion and development of the industrial and urban society in America. It was a time of great opportunity because it allowed for citizens to go out west and try to make a living from farming. However, this time period was laced with corruption as America tried to change so quickly.
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There was great industrial development during this time period. Innovations such as the Bessemer process for steel making, Henry Ford's assembly line, and the expansion of railroads all played a part in the developments in industry during this time.
Along with these processes we also see the developments of cooperations, something that was new to America. These corporations had certain characteristics that set them apart from business before such as division of responsibilities and a hierarchy of control. Cooperations also expanded through both Horizontal and Vertical Integration.
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Of the time period, there are few notable tycoons of industry. Andrew Carnegie was known for using vertical integration to create a virtual monopoly of the steel industry. In 1901, he sold U.S. Steel and used the money to contribute to libraries and other philanthropic endeavors. John D. Rockefeller also became a tycoon of business. He was known for consolidating the Oil Industry. He formed Standard Oil trust which contained 40 corporations that controlled every part of oil production. When his trust was dissolved by the Ohio Courts, Rockefeller also devoted his life to charity giving away over $530 million before his death.
An idea of the time was social darwinism or the belief that those who had money had it because they were harder working, smarter and more talented. Another idea was formed in The Gospel of Wealth which said that the rich had a responsibility to help advance society.
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Though there were many more jobs during this time, the conditions and wages were often poor. This caused many workers' unions such as the Knights of Labor, American Federation of Labor(AFL), and Industrial Workers of the World(IWW) to form. These Unions were also accompanied by many strikes that hurt the progress of businesses such as the Haymarket Riot, the Homestead Strike, and the Pullman Strikes.
This time period also showed increased tensions with Native Americans in the West. The killing of Buffaloe hurt natives as well as white encroachment on their lands. Notable battles during this time include the Battle of Little Bighorn, chase of the Nez Perce, and the Battle of Wounded Knee. Also important to note was the passage of the Dawes Severalty Act which tried to assimilate Native Americans into society and free up more land for settlement.
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The government did make some progress with the Sherman antitrust Act but it wasn't really enforced. The corruption and problems of the Gilded Age would go onto the backburner when the Panic of 1893 hit becoming the worst depression to that date. We see the end of this period with the election of Mckinley. Many of the problems of this time period would be solved in the coming progressive era.