How Did Industrialization Affect The Economy During The Gilded Age

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Introduction This period was called the Gilded Age because it was when America started to become more wealthy. More people were working so the factories produced more and could sell more. Lots of things were starting to be invented. Americans also started to get greedy during this age. They wanted everything for themselves and for everything to improve even if it does hurt the world. During the Gilded Age there was four different social classes, wealthy/middle class, working/low class (farmers/industry workers), African-Americans, and the immigrants. Industrialization & Inventions Between 1860 and 1914, many inventions were created. In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell invented the Telephone which helped with long distance communication. Elias Howe and Isaac Singer were credited with patents for the sewing machine. It helped mend clothing faster and soon became a hobby for many people. The biggest invention that changed American life was the electric light bulb invented by Thomas Edison in 1879. Factories used them so that people could have night shifts and get more done. Did the workers like having night shifts? I don’t think they did because they would have less time with their …show more content…

They also started to get worried about losing their jobs after the depression of 1873 when 1/5th of the workers lost their jobs. So strikes were formed. The Railroad Strike of 1877 was started by Baltimore and Ohio workers because their pay got cut the for the third time in one year. They wouldn’t work the trains until their pay was better. On Tuesday, May 4, 1886, there was a bombing at Haymarket Square in Chicago. The bomb was thrown because people wanted an eight hour work day. Advantages for the workers was that they got better pay and hours. Disadvantages were that their bosses had to give them more pay and better hours so things probably didn’t get done as