Gilded Age

The Gilded Age

The Gilded Age, a time of industrious growth and an upsurge of immigrants. A time of rapid railroad developments and a boomingly increase of iron and steel production. The construction of railroads increased transportation of goods, therefore there was and increase demand of lumber, gold, and silver. Mark Twain described the Gilded Age as “Glittering on surface but corrupt underneath,” because the wealthy people got even wealthier while the poor people suffered even more. The Gilded Age was not only a time of riches and fortune but also a period of greed and deceitfulness. It brought about robber barons or people who get rich from ludicrously large business deals. The Gilded Age was America’s influential time when an agrarian society of small producers sky rocketed into an urban society ruled by industrial corporations.

The Farmer’s reaction to the Gilded Age wasn’t the same to that of an industrial worker, maybe almost the exact opposite. A rise of the populist crusade came about because of the burden of heavy debts and falling farm prices. Farmers joined the populist party protesting for an increase in the amount of money in the circulation. Farmers wanted the government’s assistance to help pay loans, tariff reduction, and graduated income tax. The farmers weren’t enjoying all the benefits of the so called “Gilded Age” like the industrial workers were.

The Industrial Worker’s Reaction to the Gilded Age was a positive one that brought many fortunes and wealth for years to come. There was an increase of iron and steel and the transportation of goods were increased because of the sudden increase of railroad developments. People like John D Rockefeller and Andrew Carneige profited exponentially during this time period. They were called robber barons because of