Essay On The Gilded Age

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The year 1890 promptly ushered in a new era of women’s rights in the United States. Dubbed "The Gilded Age" by literary legend Mark Twain, the period featured a momentous cultural shift in American culture that arguably crafted the foundations of contemporary society. The metaphorical death of the subservient, prim Victorian woman made plenty of room for trailblazers like the innovative "New Woman." As days of corsets and excessive childbirth grew distant, the Gilded Age offered plenty of room for discussions focused on female issues regarding sexuality, health, education, and discriminatory laws.
The legal system’s attitude towards women varied throughout the Gilded Age. Women's legal rights improved, but they were still limited. Over time, …show more content…

The West Coast disapproved of Asian immigrants, especially the Chinese. A number of laws barred Asian men from marrying and having children with whites. Moreover, the large amount of female representation at the Columbian Centennial of 1893 was soured by rhetorical attacks on women of color. Polynesian women were referred to as “savages” by white women. Aunt Jemima, who perpetuated a number of harmful stereotypes about black women, became a permanent marketing tool. However, white feminists were not the only exclusionists. The rape and commodification of black slaves left irreversible scars on America’s collective subconscious; African American men and women were reduced to promiscuous sex objects. Native American men and women lost their land due to a number of illicit tactics used by the US government. The US’s refusal to admit its wrongs made it even more difficult for women and people of color as a whole. Though Asian communities found it difficult to band together due to their lack of numbers and cultural differences, black women had clubs to raise money for their educations. Some black women were also outspoken activists during the period. Race often played a crucial role in a woman’s American

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