In the late 19th century, America experienced a period we refer to as The Gilded Age. In Mark Twain’s novel, The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today, he explains the truth about America during this time. Twain explains, “Underneath the surface of glitter and gold, a world of corruption is revealed.” This means that although life in the US looked bright and shiny, underneath the surface there were vast amounts of poverty and corruption. Twain also explained that he felt America had been “veiled in a thin coat of gold”. During the Gilded Age, America experienced rapid economic growth, and the country saw an increase in millions of European immigrants. The expansion of industrialization, including railroads being the major growth industry, led to real