Apush Dbq Gilded Age

As reconstruction ended in the South, there began a new era known as the “Gilded Age.” This term was coined by Mark Twain and meant that although everything seemed prosperous on the surface, if you dig deeper life wasn’t all that great for the working class. During the Gilded Age, new inventions and a growing immigrant workforce led to the rise of industries. Inventions like the Bessemer Process, which allowed for the production of higher quality steel, and the growth of railroads, such as the Transcontinental railroad, led to a boom in industrial production. This massive growth in the industrial sector had positive effects on the American economy, although just like the term “Gilded, ” not everything was perfect under the surface. Although

In 1870, around 75% of the American population lived in rural areas, but towards the turn of the century, almost 50% of the American population lived in the city (Doc 7). From the table in Document 7, we also see a population boom, with the total population growing almost three fold in the span from 1870 to 1910. This population boom and the lean towards urban areas is due to the massive flux of immigrants seeking a better life, along with Americans looking for jobs in the industrial sector, which was primarily in the urban North. In Document 6, the narrator, a Russian Jewish child, and her father are in awe of American society. They believed that if they worked hard enough, an example of Social Darwinism, they would be able to send money home (Document 6). Philanthropists who believed in Social Darwinism, such as Carnegie, a wealthy person who had control of the oil industry, were able to fund libraries, concert halls, and schools for the American lower class. This concept, known as the Gospel of Life, is also exemplified in Document 5, which claims that large amounts of wealth in individuals should only be considered bad if it is used in a wrong way (Doc 5). The purpose of this document is important because it argues that the wealth disparity isn't necessarily bad and could be helpful to American society. Although all this may have benefited some, it

For example, in New York City, the streets were mostly uncleaned and stunk with manure (Doc 2). The Annual Report of the Metropolitan Board of Health of the State of New York also claims that gas companies pursued more profit, with little regard to public health and safety. Since gas companies, along with others in the industrial sector, were more focused on profit, pollution increased rapidly in urban areas. Political corruption was widespread in the city as well, as shown in Thomas Nast’s cartoon “Let Us Pray” (Doc 1). This cartoon depicts the bosses political machines, such as Boss Tweed, as vultures and preying on the urban people. The purpose of this cartoon is important because it shows how corruption is taking over the city and taking away from the poor. Overall, the greed driven businesses were more interested in profit than in the health of the people. This led to jam packed urban tenements and horrible health