What Movement Dominated Art and Literature During the Gilded Age?

"The Gilded Age" is the term used to describe the tumultuous years betwixt the Civil War and the turn of the twentieth century. The Aureate Historic period: A Tale of Today was a famous satirical novel by Marker Twain prepare in the late 1800s, and was its namesake. During this era, America became more prosperous and saw unprecedented growth in industry and technology. But the Aureate Age had a more sinister side: It was a period where greedy, corrupt industrialists, bankers and politicians enjoyed extraordinary wealth and opulence at the expense of the working course. In fact, it was wealthy tycoons, not politicians, who inconspicuously held the about political power during the Gilded Age.

Transcontinental Railroad

Before the Civil War, rail travel was dangerous and difficult, but after the state of war, George Westinghouse invented the air brake, which made braking systems more dependable and condom.

Shortly, the development of Pullman sleeping cars and dining cars made rail travel comfortable and more enjoyable for passengers. Information technology wasn't long earlier trains overtook other forms of long-altitude travel such as the stagecoach and riding horseback.

In 1869, the Transcontinental Railroad was finished and led to rapid settlement of the western United States. It too fabricated it much easier to transport goods over long distances from 1 part of the land to another.

This enormous railroad expansion resulted in rail companies and their executives receiving lavish amounts of coin and land—upwardly to 200 one thousand thousand acres, past some estimates—from the United States regime. In many cases, politicians cut shady backroom deals and helped create railroad and shipping tycoons such as Cornelius Vanderbilt and Jay Gould. Meanwhile, thousands of African American—many of them former slaves—were hired as Pullman porters and paid a pittance to cater to riders' every demand.

Robber Barons

Railroad tycoons were simply i of many types of then-called robber barons that emerged in the Gilded Historic period.

These men used spousal relationship busting, fraud, intimidation, violence and their extensive political connections to gain an advantage over any competitors. Robber barons were relentless in their efforts to amass wealth while exploiting workers and ignoring standard business rules—and in many cases, the law itself.

They soon accumulated vast amounts of coin and dominated every major industry including the railroad, oil, banking, timber, carbohydrate, liquor, meatpacking, steel, mining, tobacco and textile industries.

Some wealthy entrepreneurs such every bit Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller and Henry Frick are often referred to as robber barons just may non exactly fit the mold. While it's true they built huge monopolies, frequently by burdensome whatever pocket-size business or competitor in their way, they were also generous philanthropists who didn't e'er rely on political ploys to build their empires.

Some tried to amend life for their employees, donated millions to charities and nonprofits and supported their communities past providing funding for everything from libraries and hospitals to universities, public parks and zoos.

Industrial Revolution

The Gilded Historic period was in many means the culmination of the Industrial Revolution, when America and much of Europe shifted from an agricultural gild to an industrial i.

Millions of immigrants and struggling farmers arrived in cities such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Chicago, looking for work and hastening the urbanization of America. Past 1900, almost forty percent of Americans lived in major cities.

READ More: Photos Reveal Shocking Conditions of Tenement Slums in Late 1800s

Most cities were unprepared for rapid population growth. Housing was limited, and tenements and slums sprung up nationwide. Heating, lighting, sanitation and medical care were poor or nonexistent, and millions died from preventable disease.

Many immigrants were unskilled and willing to work long hours for little pay. Gilt Age plutocrats considered them the perfect employees for their sweatshops, where working conditions were dangerous and workers endured long periods of unemployment, wage cuts and no benefits.

Gilded Age Homes

Homes of the Gilded Historic period elite were nothing short of spectacular. The wealthy considered themselves America's royalty and settled for nothing less than estates worthy of that distinction. Some of America'southward nearly famous mansions were built during the Gilded Age such as:

Biltmore, located in Asheville, North Carolina, was the family estate of George and Edith Vanderbilt. Construction started on the 250-room chateau in 1889, prior to the couple's spousal relationship, and continued for vi years. The home had 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces, a dairy, a horse barn and cute formal and informal gardens.

The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island, is some other Vanderbilt mansion. It was the summer dwelling of railroad mogul Cornelius Vanderbilt. The Italian-Renaissance style domicile has 70 rooms, a stable and a wagon house.

Rosecliff, besides in Newport, was completed in 1902. The oceanfront home was contracted by Theresa Fair Oelrichs and built to resemble the G Trianon of Versailles. Today, it'south best known as the properties for film scenes in The Cracking Gatsby, High Social club, 27 Dresses and True Lies.

Whitehall, located in Palm Embankment, Florida, was the neoclassical wintertime retreat of oil tycoon Henry Flagler and his wife Mary. The 100,000 square foot, 75-room mansion was completed in 1902 and is now a pop museum.

Income Inequality in the Gilded Historic period

The industrialists of the Gilded Historic period lived loftier on the hog, but virtually of the working course lived below poverty level. As fourth dimension went on, the income inequality between wealthy and poor became more than and more glaring.

While the wealthy lived in opulent homes, dined on succulent food and showered their children with gifts, the poor were crammed into filthy tenement apartments, struggled to put a loaf of bread on the table and frequently accompanied their children to a sweatshop each morning where they faced a 12-60 minutes (or longer) workday.

Some moguls used Social Darwinism to justify the inequality betwixt the classes. The theory presumes that the fittest humans are the almost successful and poor people are destitute because they're weak and lack the skills to be prosperous.

Muckrakers

Muckrakers is a term used to draw reporters who exposed abuse among politicians and the elite. They used investigative journalism and the impress revolution to dig through "the muck" of the Gilded Historic period and written report scandal and injustice.

In 1890, reporter and photographer Jacob Riis brought the horrors of New York slum life to light in his book, How the Other One-half Lives, prompting New York politicians to pass legislation to amend tenement conditions.

In 1902, McClure Magazine journalist Lincoln Steffens took on city corruption when he penned the article, "Tweed Days in St. Louis." The commodity, which is widely considered the offset muckracking magazine article, exposed how city officials deceitfully made deals with crooked businessmen to maintain power.

Another journalist, Ida Tarbell, spent years investigating the underhanded ascent of oilman John D. Rockefeller. Her xix-role series, also published in McClure in 1902, led to the breakdown of Rockefeller'due south monopoly, the Standard Oil Company.

In 1906, activist announcer and novelist Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle to expose horrendous working weather in the meatpacking manufacture. The volume and ensuing public outcry led to the passing of the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act.

Labor Unions Rise

It soon became obvious that the huge disparity betwixt the wealthy and poor couldn't final, and the working course would have to organize to improve their working and living weather. It was also obvious this wouldn't happen without some degree of violence.

Much of the violence, however, was between the workers themselves every bit they struggled to agree on what they were fighting for. Some simply wanted increased wages and a meliorate working environment, while others also wanted to keep women, immigrants and blacks out of the workforce.

Although the first labor unions occurred around the turn of the nineteenth century, they gained momentum during the Gilded Age, cheers to the increased number of unskilled and unsatisfied factory workers.

Railroad Strikes

WATCH: Labor Mean solar day'south Railroad Strike Roots

On July 16, 1877, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company announced a 10-per centum pay cut on its railroad workers in Martinsburg, West Virginia, the 2d cut in less than viii months.

Infuriated and fed up, the workers—with the support of the locals—announced they'd prevent all trains from leaving the roundhouse until their pay was restored.

The mayor, the police and even the National Baby-sit couldn't stop the strike. It wasn't until Federal troops arrived that one train finally left the station.

Coil to Continue

The strike spread among other railroads, sparking violence across America between the working class and local and federal authorities. At its pinnacle, over 100,000 railroad workers were on strike. Many of the Robber Barons feared an aggressive, all-out revolution against their mode of life.

Instead, the strike—later known as the Keen Upheaval—ended abruptly and was labeled a dismal failure. Withal it showed America'south tycoons there was forcefulness in numbers and that organized labor had the potential to shut downwards unabridged industries and inflict major economical and political damage.

As the working class continued to utilize strikes and boycotts to fight for college wages and improved working conditions, their bosses staged lock-outs and brought in replacement workers known as scabs.

They also created blacklists to prevent active marriage workers from becoming employed elsewhere. Withal, the working class connected to unite and press their crusade and often won at least some of their demands.

Gilded Historic period Cities

Innovations of the Gilded Historic period helped usher in mod America. Urbanization and technological inventiveness led to many engineering advances such as bridges and canals, elevators and skyscrapers, trolley lines and subways.

The invention of electricity brought illumination to homes and businesses and created an unprecedented, thriving night life. Art and literature flourished, and the rich filled their lavish homes with expensive works of art and elaborate décor.

In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone and made the world a much smaller place for both individuals and businesses. Advances in sanitation and housing, and the availability of better quality food and textile goods, improved quality of life for the middle class.

Only while the middle and upper classes enjoyed the allure of city life, little inverse for the poor. Most yet faced horrific living conditions, high law-breaking rates and a pitiable existence.

Many escaped their drudgery by watching a vaudeville show or a spectator sport such as boxing, baseball or football, all of which enjoyed a surge during the Gold Age.

Women in the Gilded Age

Upper-class women of the Aureate Historic period accept been compared to dolls on display dressed in resplendent finery. They flaunted their wealth and endeavored to ameliorate their status in gild while poor and center-class women both envied and mimicked them.

Some wealthy Gilded Age women were much more eye candy, though, and often traded domestic life for social activism and charitable work. They felt a new degree of empowerment and fought for equality, including the correct to vote through women'southward suffrage groups.

Some created homes for destitute immigrants while others pushed a temperance agenda, believing the source of poverty and virtually family troubles was booze. Wealthy women philanthropists of the Gilded Historic period include:

Louise Whitfield Carnegie, wife of Andrew Carnegie, who created Carnegie Hall and donated to the Red Cantankerous, the Y.W.C.A., and other charities.

Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, wife of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., who helped create hotels for women and solicited funds to create the New York Museum of Modern Art.

Margaret Olivia Sage, married woman of Russell Sage, who after the expiry of her miserly husband gave away $45 million of her $75 1000000 inheritance to back up women's causes, educational institutions and the cosmos of the Russell Sage Foundation for Social Edification, which direct helped poor people.

Many women during the Gilded Age sought higher educational activity. Others postponed wedlock and took jobs such as typists or phone switchboard operators.

Cheers to a impress revolution and the accessibility of newspapers, magazines and books, women became increasingly knowledgeable, cultured, well-informed and a political strength to exist reckoned with.

Jane Addams

Jane Addams is arguably the best-known philanthropist of the Aureate Historic period. In 1889, she and Ellen Gates Star established a secular settlement house in Chicago known as Hull-Firm.

The neighborhood was a melting pot of struggling immigrants, and Hull-House provided everything from midwife services and basic medical care to kindergarten, day care and housing for abused women. It also offered English and citizenship classes. Adams received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931.

Carrie Nation

Temperance leader Carrie Nation gained notoriety during the Gilded Historic period for peachy up saloons with a hatchet to bring attention to her sobriety agenda. She was also a strong vocalisation for the suffrage movement.

Nation's belief that alcohol was the root of all evil was partially due to her hard first matrimony to an alcoholic, and her work with women and children displaced or driveling by over-imbibing husbands.

Convinced God had instructed her to employ whatever means necessary to close bars throughout Kansas, she was often beaten, mocked and jailed but ultimately helped pave the style for the 18th Amendment (prohibiting the auction of booze) and the 19th Amendment (giving women the correct to vote).

Limits to Power

Many other pivotal events happened during the Aureate Historic period which changed America'southward course and culture. Every bit muckrakers exposed decadent robber barons and politicians, labor unions and reformist politicians enacted laws to limit their power.

The western borderland saw violent conflicts between white settlers and the United States Regular army against Native Americans. The Native Americans were eventually forced off their land and onto reservations with often disastrous results. In 1890, the western frontier was declared airtight.

Populist Political party

Equally drought and depression struck rural America, farmers in the west—who vilified railroad tycoons and wanted a political voice—organized and played a cardinal role in forming the Populist Party.

The Populists had a autonomous calendar that aimed to give ability back to the people and paved the way for the progressive movement, which still fights to close the gap betwixt the wealthy and poor and champion the needy and disenfranchised.

WATCH: The Rising of Populism

Terminate of the Gilded Historic period

In 1893, both the overextended Philadelphia and Reading Railroad and the National Cordage Company failed, which set off an economic depression unlike any seen earlier in America.

Banks and other businesses folded, and the stock market plunged, leaving millions unemployed, homeless and hungry. In some states, unemployment rose to near 50 percent.

The Panic of 1893 lasted four years and left lower and even heart-class Americans fed up with political corruption and social inequality. Their frustration gave ascension to the Progressive Move which took hold when President Theodore Roosevelt took office in 1901.

Although Roosevelt supported corporate America, he also felt there should exist federal controls in place to keep excessive corporate greed in check and prevent individuals from making obscene amounts of money off the backs of immigrants and the lower class.

Helped by the muckrackers and the White House, the Progressive Era ushered in many reforms that helped shift away power from robber barons, such as:

trust busting
labor reform
women'due south suffrage
birth command
formation of trade unions
increased conservation efforts
food and medicine regulations
tax reform
civil rights
ballot reform
fair labor standards

By 1916, America's cities were cleaner and healthier, factories safer, governments less corrupt and many people had ameliorate housing, working hours and wages. Fewer monopolies meant more people could pursue the American Dream and start their own businesses.

When America entered World State of war I in 1917, the Progressive Era and whatsoever remnants of the Gilded Historic period finer ended as the land's focus shifted to the realities of war. Most robber barons and their families, however, remained wealthy for generations.

Even so, many bequeathed much of their wealth, country and homes to charity and historical societies. And progressives continued their mission to shut the gap betwixt the wealthy and poor and champion the needy and disenfranchised.

Sources

Chicago Workers During the Long Golden Age. The Newberry.
Golden Age Reform. Academy of Virginia.
The Doll Firm: Wealth and Women in the Gilded Age. Journeys Into the Past: An Online Journal of Miami Academy'south History Department.
The Gilded Historic period. Scholastic.
About Jane Addams. Jane Addams Hull-Firm Museum.
Carrie A. Nation (1846-1911). The State Historical Society of Missouri: Historic Missourians.
Lincoln Steffens Exposes "Tweed Days in St. Louis." History Matters.
The Breakers. The Preservation Society of Newport County.
The Progressive Era (1890-1920). The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project.
Biltmore Manor History. Biltmore.
Margaret Olivia Sage. Philanthropy Roundtable.

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