The Gilded Age Essay

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During the 19th century, America was going through an important transition. The nation was dealing with the aftermath of the civil war and the following reconstruction of the South. The Reconstruction period was the precursor to the period deemed the “Gilded Age”. The nation saw economic growth and the creation of the mass market. The rise of industrialization and transition to urban living were some of the defining moments of this period. However, the most defining idea of the Gilded Age is Reform: Social, Political, and economic. The Gilded Age was plagued with the problems that, the reconstruction period failed to solve. During the Gilded Age, social, political, and economic reform movements were gaining ground. Blacks and other minorities (immigrants) were still facing discrimination. Blacks in particular were still facing discrimination and lack of rights despite being free United States citizens. Gender inequity was also a vital reform issue. Women were fighting for suffrage and equal civil rights. Politically, the U.S. was suffering from a corrupted government and a weakened presidency. Economically, the U.S. was experiencing an economic boom with the growth of industrialization. However, this growth of wealth only benefited a lucky few. While rich businessmen were rapidly increasing their wealth, the poor were getting poorer. The wealth gap was drastically increasing. While these issues were not entirely new, the Gilded Age marks the first significant/radical attempt to address and fix these problems. People like: Jacob Riis, Andrew Carnegie, Ida B. Wells, and Susan B. Anthony were some the major advocates of reform during this time. America was still facing issues of intense racial discrimination. Whites and newly fre... ... middle of paper ... ...l because, they were smarter and stronger. However, given all of the social, political, and economic reform movements, the term Reform Darwinism better defines the Gilded Age. Reform Darwinism is the opposite of social Darwinism. It’s the idea that people could change their environment and circumstance. This idea advocates human intervention to improve society, rather than accept it as it is. The Gilded Age, was America’s transitional period, both socially and economically. Industrialization allowed America to grow and prosper, but created a further gap in racial, gender, and economic equality. The reform movements of the Gilded Age, shaped American society. The efforts of reformers such as: Ida B. Wells, Jacob Riis, Susan B, Anthony, and Andrew Carnegie were a catalyst for change and helped defined the Gilded Age as a period of vast social-economic reform.

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