Gilded Age Dates: 1865 - 1900
When was the Gilded Age, when did it start and when did it end? The Gilded Age dates covered the era after the Civil War from the presidency of Andrew Johnson in 1865. The Gilded Age continued until 1900 and the start of the Progressive Era during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt that led to political and social reforms in America. Why was it called the Gilded Age?
The 'Gilded Age' was a sarcastic term coined by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner to describe the era when many ruthless Industrialists acquired wealth and opulent lifestyles through unethical business practices, bribery and corruption. These people lived a golden existence but it was merely a facade of gold paint (gild) that covered over a multitude of sins in the Gilded era including poverty, crime, fraud, bribery and corruption during the Urbanization of America. What were the characteristics of the Gilded Age?
The characteristics of the Gilded Age were the excess and waste of the wealthy with their spectacular mansions and opulent lifestyles. But the 'golden facade' also spilled over into the lives of many ordinary people. The incredible Inventions of the era changed America and people were in awe of the power of electricity, the advances in transportation systems and the literal rise of the Skyscrapers with their amazing elevators. These astonishing inventions were showcased in expositions like the 1893 Chicago World's Fair that attracted over 27 million visitors. The standard of living had increased in the Gilded era for many people, life was not dictated and restricted by the daily need for tending the land, and their was some time for leisure. The facade continued with the bright lights of the city and new forms of entertainment such as amusement parks, spectator sports such as baseball, saloons, vaudeville, P.T. Barnum's circus like that of or Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. The Gilded Age was characterized by its shiny, glittering surface which masked the problems beneath. Why was the Gilded Age a period of change?
The Gilded Age was an era of massive economic growth in the United States and unprecedented social changes. The changes of the Gilded age are defined by the following events: Reasons Why the Gilded Age was a period of Change Gilded Age: The inventions and new technologies of the Second Industrial Revolution in Steel, Oil and Electricity Gilded Age: The economy boomed in new areas, especially heavy industry like factories, railroads, and coal mining. Gilded Age: The Rise of Big Business and Corporations involving vast monopolies and trusts Gilded Age: The emergence of the 'Robber Barons' the ruthless and wealthy industrialists who monopolized the railroads, the steel industry, the oil industry and the powerful financiers who controlled the banks Gilded Age: The support Free Enterprise and 'laissez-faire' capitalism combined with political conservatism justified by the theory of Social Darwinism Gilded Age: The process of Industrialization in the United States that changed the lives of Americans forever, bringing about complex social and economic changes Gilded Age: The mechanization of industry, mass production and factories that transformed America from a rural, agricultural society to a city based industrial society Gilded Age: The ever increasing need for cheap labor was fed a surge in Immigration Gilded Age: The rapid Urbanization in America that resulted in squalid housing conditions for the poor and the rise of the corrupt Political Machines Gilded Age: The economic and social changes, great disparities in wealth between the rich and the poor and appalling working conditions led to riots, strikes and the emergence of the Labor Unions Gilded Age: Realism in Art and Literature Reasons Why the Gilded Age was a period of Change Who were the Robber Barons of the Gilded Age?
The Robber Barons of the Gilded Age were the wealthy men who monopolized the railroads, the steel industry, the tobacco industry, the oil industry and the financiers who controlled the banks. The names of the Robber Barons included those such as Andrew Carnegie, Charles M. Schwab, James Fisk, Jay Gould, Franklin B. Gowen, George Pullman, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Leland Stanford, J.P. Morgan and John D. Rockefeller. The Robber Barons kept wages at a minimum, cared little for the working conditions and safety banned their workers from joining labor unions and used bribery and corruption to gain support from politicians and government officials. Some Robber Barons manipulated the stock market, monopolized the major industries and made it impossible for competitors to survive. Gilded Age for kids: The 'Gospel of Wealth
Other wealthy Industrialists of the Gilded Age were philanthropists. Steel magnate Andrew Carnegie published his 1889 article called the 'Gospel of Wealth' in which he described the responsibility of philanthropy by the new upper class of self-made men to further social progress. Andrew Carnegie donated millions of dollars to charitable causes and perhaps should be referred to as one of the Captains of Industry rather than one of the Robber Barons. Who were the Presidents of the Gilded Age?
The Presidents of the Gilded Age, frequently referred to as the "Forgettable Presidents", were Andrew Johnson, Ulysses Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison and William McKinley. Their terms in office of some of these presidents led to accusations of political patronage and nepotism (favoritism) which was 'custom and practice' of presidential administrations and related to the Spoils System that had been favored by President Jackson. ● President Andrew Johnson (1865-1869): Andrew Johnson interfered with Congress to such an extent that he was impeached
● President Ulysses Grant (1869-1873) & (1873-1877): The scandals and corruption of politicians and government officials during his presidency led to the term 'Grantism'.
● President Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881): Rutherford B. Hayes administration witnessed the first nationwide strike in the United States
● President James Garfield (1881): James Garfield presidency only lasted for 100 days when he was assassinated by Charles Julius Guiteau
● President Chester Arthur (1881-1885): Chester Arthur attempted to address the 'Spoils System' with the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act but his presidency was marred by the Star-Route Scandal involving bribery and corruption of Federal postal officials
● President Grover Cleveland (1885-1889) and (1893-1897): Grover Cleveland's terms in office saw the Haymarket Riot, the Panic of 1893 and the Pullman Strike
● President Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893): During the Benjamin Harrison administration the Dependent Pension Bill cost the government over a billion dollars.
● President William McKinley (1897-1901): William McKinley saw the highest protective tariff in the history of the United States. Arbitration procedures were implemented to settle railway disputes. President William McKinley's term in office ended when he was assassinated by the anarchist Leon Frank Czolgosz The Gilded Age for kids: Realism in Art and Literature
Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner coined the term 'Gilded Age' and along with other writers and artists attempted to balance the superficial nature of the era by balancing it with Realism. The new movement in art and literature, that became known as Realism, attempted to portray people realistically instead of idealizing them and portrayed the realities of urbanization and industrialization in their work. ● Mark Twain, with Charles Dudley Warner, wrote The Gilded Age (1873) that satirized greed and political corruption
● Mark Twain also went on to write novels like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn· that portrayed realistic descriptions of American life
● Henry James wrote novels such as his humane masterpiece the Portrait of a Lady (1881)
● William Dean Howells depicted realism in his 1885 novel The Rise of Silas Lapham
● In 1890 Jacob Riis published 'How the Other Half Lives'
● American artists also responded to the Gilded Age by adopting Realism. These famous artists included Thomas Eakins, Winslow Homer and Mary Cassatt Gilded Age Timeline and Facts for kids
Interesting facts about the era referred to as the Gilded Age detailed below. The history of the Gilded Age and era is told in a factual timeline sequence consisting of a series of interesting, short facts and dates providing a simple method of relating the history of the Gilded Age for kids, schools and homework projects. Gilded Age Timeline Gilded Age Timeline Fact 1: 1865: Andrew Johnson (1865-1869) becomes President Gilded Age Timeline Fact 2: 1867: The Granger Movement was established to promote the social needs of farmers Gilded Age Timeline Fact 3: 1869: Ulysses Grant (1869-1873) & (1873-1877) becomes President Gilded Age Timeline Fact 4: 1869: The Union Pacific Transcontinental Railroad linked the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic Gilded Age Timeline Fact 5: 1869: The Knights of Labor was the first major American labor union to be established Gilded Age Timeline Fact 6: 1869: The Black Friday Scandal an attempt by two Wall Street speculators to corner the gold market Gilded Age Timeline Fact 7: 1870: John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company is incorporated Gilded Age Timeline Fact 8: 1872: The Credit Mobilier Scandal involving corruption by the Union Pacific Railroad and Credit Mobilier construction co Gilded Age Timeline Fact 9: 1873: The Panic of 1873, a serious economic crisis that led to riots, strikes and civil unrest Gilded Age Timeline Fact 10: 1873: Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner publish The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today Continued... Gilded Age Timeline Gilded Age cont.
Interesting facts about the era referred to as the Gilded Age detailed below. The history of the Gilded Age and era is told in a factual timeline sequence consisting of a series of interesting, short facts and dates providing a simple method of relating the history of the Gilded Age for kids, schools and homework projects. Gilded Age Timeline Gilded Age Timeline Fact 11: 1874: Joseph Glidden invents barbed wire fencing changing farming and ranching in America that heralds the end of the Cowboys and the Wild West Gilded Age Timeline Fact 12: 1875: The Whiskey Ring Scandal, a conspiracy by distillers to avoid the excise taxes on liquor Gilded Age Timeline Fact 13: 1876 The Belknap Bribery Scandal in which the Secretary of War, William Belknap, received bribes Gilded Age Timeline Fact 14: 1876: National League baseball plays its first official game Gilded Age Timeline Fact 15: 1877: The Molly Maguires a secret society of Irish coal miners in Pennsylvania led the 'Long Strike of 1875' which resulted in 20 members being unjustly hanged for murder Gilded Age Timeline Fact 16: 1877: Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881) becomes President Gilded Age Timeline Fact 17: 1877: The Great Railroad Strike the first nationwide strike in the United States Gilded Age Timeline Fact 18: 1878: Thomas Edison establishes the Edison Electric Light Co Gilded Age Timeline Fact 19: 1880: The Rise in the power of Big Business and Corporations and the Robber Barons Gilded Age Timeline Fact 20: 1880: Andrew Carnegie gains a monopoly of the steel industry Gilded Age Timeline Fact 21: 1881: James Garfield (1881): becomes President but is assassinated by Charles Julius Guiteau who resented not receiving a government job under the Spoils System Gilded Age Timeline Fact 22: Chester Arthur (1881-1885) becomes President Gilded Age Timeline Fact 23: 1882: The Star-Route Scandal involving bribery and corruption of Federal postal officials Gilded Age Timeline Fact 24: 1882: For the first time in US history Congress acts to restrict immigration on a selective basis Gilded Age Timeline Fact 25: 1883: Chester Arthur attempts to address the 'Spoils System' with the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act Gilded Age Timeline Fact 26: 1883: The Brooklyn Bridge is completed, the first steel-wire suspension bridge in the world Gilded Age Timeline Fact 27: 1884 The world's first true "skyscraper" is completed. A ten-story building called the Home Life Insurance in Chicago. Gilded Age Timeline Fact 28: 1885: First Grover Cleveland Presidency (1885-1889) Gilded Age Timeline Fact 29: 1886: The Haymarket Riot and the Haymarket Chicago bombing is perpetrated by anarchists Gilded Age Timeline Fact 30: 1886 The American Federation of Labor is organized by Samuel Gompers Gilded Age Timeline Fact 31: 1886: The Statue of Liberty is dedicated a symbol of America, the land of freedom and opportunity Gilded Age Timeline Fact 32: 1887: Congress passed the Interstate Commerce Act which created the Interstate Commerce Commission as a federal regulatory agency to address Shipping rates and Price discrimination Gilded Age Timeline Fact 33: 1889: Benjamin Harrison becomes President (1889-1893) Gilded Age Timeline Fact 34: 1889: The Dependent Pension Bill aka the Billion Dollar Congress cost the government over a billion dollars. Gilded Age Timeline Fact 35: 1890: Sherman Antitrust Act, 1890, first measure passed by the U.S. Congress to prohibit monopolies Gilded Age Timeline Fact 36: 1892: Ellis Island opens in Upper New York Bay as a federal immigration inspection station Gilded Age Timeline Fact 37: 1893: The Second Grover Cleveland Presidency (1893-1897) Gilded Age Timeline Fact 38: 1893: The Panic of 1893 led to a 4 year economic depression with 20% unemployment Gilded Age Timeline Fact 39: 1893: The wonders of the Chicago World's Fair that introduced the Ferris Wheel Gilded Age Timeline Fact 40: 1897: William McKinley becomes president (1897-1901) Gilded Age Timeline Fact 41: 1897: The Dingley Tariff is the highest protective tariff in the history of the United States - also refer to Protectionism Gilded Age Timeline Fact 42: 1898: The Erdman Railway Labor Act is passed, a law to settle railway disputes and set up arbitration procedures Gilded Age Timeline Fact 43: 1898: The consolidation of the City of Greater New York Gilded Age Timeline Fact 44: 1900: The Galveston Hurricane. As a consequence of the tragedy Galveston introduced the commission system of government replacing the mayor and city council. a major step to combat the Political Machines Gilded Age Timeline Fact 45: 1901: President McKinley is assassinated and Theodore Roosevelt assumes the presidency. President. President Theodore Roosevelt was a leader in the Conservation Movement fighting to end the waste of natural resources Gilded Age Timeline Fact 46: The presidency of Theodore Roosevelt heralds the Progressive Movement which led to political and social reforms in America detailed in the list of the Progressive Reforms made at city, state and federal level. Gilded Age Timeline Gilded Age for kids
The article on the Gilded Age provides detailed facts and a summary of the most important events and dates in the history of the United States - a crash course in American History. The following video will give you additional important facts, history and dates about the personal and political lives of all the US Presidents. Gilded Age ● Interesting Facts about Gilded Age timeline for kids
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