Industrialize and the Gilded Age
To begin I’d like to start off with a quote from Mark Twain, “What is the chief end of man?–to get rich. In what way?–dishonestly if we can; honestly if we must.” Since I read this in the book The Smart Aleck’s Guide to American History I’ve almost obsessed over it because I see it so fit for not only this era but also for current situations now. After the Civil War had ended American citizens needed something else to focus on, so what did they turn to? Inventing. The industrial revolution began with countless inventions being produced every day, and thanks to the determination of many, some of the most iconic things we still use today were invented during this time period. Examples of this industrial revolution
…show more content…
had become the biggest industrial power. This leads to the Gilded Age (1870-1900). Nothing like money, power, and corruption to have a good life, right? Well, that’s one of the main things the Gilded Age is known for. This was a time thriving with economic growth, America's wealth had hit an all time high and with the invention of the railroad and telegraph the opportunities for entrepreneurs became seemingly endless. However, not everyone progressed with the times, before factory production was popular most people were a part of the farming lifestyle and with the uprise of the factory, better competition followed. Being able to produce goods cheaper and faster than the traditional way meant that their prices could also be lower while still making a profit, making it almost impossible for farmers to compete. Society quickly became a battle between factory and farm, where poor workers struggled to survive and the industry was climbing to the top.
The greatest example of the “top dogs,” would have to be the well known name, John D. Rockefeller. John D. Rockefeller has been famously referred as not only the richest man of his time, but quite possibly the richest man in all of U.S. history. Starting off his oil company, Standard Oil, with only 5% of the nation's total oil, Rockefeller grew his company into a monopoly in the span of just 10 years, then owning 90% of the nation's total oil. Although his success was great, it wasn’t entirely done