Thursday, June 11, 2009
Gilded Age
During the course of the 19th Century, the United States underwent a dramatic transformation. What were the two most important things that contributed to this transformation? You are not bound to mention historical events or anything like that, it could be anything that contributed. Post two comments... the first comment will be your response, and the second comment will be in response to your classmates.
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So many changes happened, but the one that seems to be at the root of it all is the addition of so many immigrants. An increased population caused a domino effect of transformations that effected everyone: there were bigger cities, more job competition, prejudice, ethnic unity, and regional differences due to the clashes of religion and culture.
Another major change that occurred was the creation of a more modern industrial economy. with mass transportation, like trains stretching across the country, as well as the new found importance of the corporation, the American economy was growing to be more advanced.
One of the main factors that contributed to the transformation in the the "gilded age" is the corruption in politics that occurred during and after Grant's presidency. Political payoffs and corruption was so extreme that it separated the republicans into two separate factions: the Stalwarts (Conkling) and the Half-Breeds (Blaine). Because of this party separation, elaborate election events were coined and the spoils system was evident.
Another factor that contributed the transformation is the expansion of railroads, creation of paved roads, and more transportation in general. It was the new mediums of travel that allowed the big names in industry (Carnegie, Rockefeller, etc.) to prosper the way they did and ultimately become the "fittest."
Indeed,during the course of the 1800s, post Civil War, the United States underwent a dramatic transformation. Perhaps one of the most notable events that occurred during this "Gilded Age" (named after the corruptio present) was the assassination of President Garfield in 1881.
Garfield's death prompted Congress to pass the Pendleton Act. This Act created the Civil Service Commission two years later, which served to reform the spoils system, a political scheme in which rewarded supporters of a winning party with “spoils,” or posts in that party's government. Thus Garfield's death was important in the poltical transformation in 19th century United States.
(Sorry entered too fast)
Another cause of change was came from the placement of new railroads. Railroads allowed more and more Americans to travel from overcrowded eastern cities and settle out West. THe American West chaged dramatically within this twenty-year period. New American settlers hunted and killed more than 20 million buffalo, nearly causing the animal's extinction. This hurt the Native American tribes of the West. Tribes such as the Sioux, Fox, and Nez Percé, deeply resented white settlers' blunt disregard for their land and primary food supply. This caused the Native Americans to attack the settlers. After a number of gory confrontations, the U.S. Army herded Native Americans onto reservations. Eventually Congress passed the Dawes Severalty Act which forbade Native Americans from owning land and attempted to Americanize them.
I agree with Ally. The corruption in politics that occurred during and after Grant's presidency definitely contributed to the transformation in the the "gilded age." Political battles between the Stalwart and Half-Breed factions in the Republican Party prevented the passage of any significant legislation. COnkling passed ZERO bills while in office. During this era, the political parties nominated presidential candidates that lacked strong opinions, creating a stalemate. This was possibly to avoid stirring up sectional tensions so soon after the Civil War.
During the late nineteenth century, the United States transitioned into what became known as the "Gilded Age." Coined by Mark Twain, this term may refer to the Shakespearean quote "We will all laugh at gilded butterflies," which in Twain's context refers to the American people as prisoners of a corrupt political system. (The metaphor here is that gilded butterflies cannot fly). The imprisonment of the American people by the political system is due the two factors of the popularization of elections and the spoils system.
Political elections transitioned away from being issued based and towards becoming popularity contests. Parades, songs, and rallies all contributed to popularity appeals to the masses.
The spoils system allowed those who were popular and elected to office to place their friends in similar positions of power. Favors were exchanged for loyalty to a candidate or party. This caused an already unqualified political system of popular officials to grow more corrupt by introducing more unqualified officers into government.
Also an interesting note is that "We will all laugh at gilded butterflies," is tattooed on Megan Fox's back. Transformers Two anyone?
After the civil war and reconstruction period, the United States transformed dramatically during the 19th century. One major thing that contributed to this transformation was the change in transportation and and communication. Because of the ease of moving around, cities began to expand both outwards and upwards. Suburbs began to form and people moved outside the city limits into nicer neighborhoods and away from the poor center.
Another major change that occurred during this time period was a huge influx of immigrants coming to America to work in the cities. They brought over their own cultures and traditions and formed little areas within the cities as well. The large amount of new people and new competition for jobs lead to conflicts among Americans and immigrants.
STEFANIE SEQUEIRA!!!
HEY GUYS DON'T FORGET TO WEAR RED TOMORROW :)
okay...
I think an important thing that contributed to this transformation was mass media and pop culture. Magazines started talking about the "new woman" and women began having less children and becoming more educated, changing family and societal structure. The wealthy read magazines and started spending more. They began buying more homes away from the city, so the structure of cities changed and suburbs were created. Also, as women began entering the educational and business world, colleges began specializing, so people had to go to school to become a professional doctor, they couldn't just pick up a stethoscope and decide to be one. That obviously paved the way to today.
Exciting politics also contributed to this transformation. Voting turnout was very high, around 75%, much higher than today. People were excited about voting because of all the parades, banners, buttons, and speeches that glittered them up. Some politicians, Republicans mostly, aligned themselves with very moral stances, which attracted some people and turned off others. People began voting based on the candidate's views on issues like race, religion, and temperance. These issues began overriding even economic issues. Politics was obviously also marked with a lot of corruption, but it was still good that most of the country was involved.
I have to agree with Ally that corruption was a huge factor in the political scene. Doing favors for "loyal supporters" was at an all-time high, thus allowing people with little political background to step into high positions. For this reason, little was being done in congress.
On a smaller scale, political bosses were also controlling the politics of small towns by doing mafia-esque deeds that slanted election results and earned party support.
In regard to the question, asking which factors lead to the most change, the corruption did little but argue and filibuster, so corruption didn't actually make any political changes for the people, it merely changed the way politics were run.
Obviously the Civil War was a great change that occurred in our country. Our division and reunion disillusioned much of the nation and left a nation poised to change in its wake. The wars end opened doors for things such as Civil rights and women's rights to be considered in the near future. Another change came in the form of technology. The industrial revolution led to a stream of new jobs as well as changed the way society ran as a whole. These were events that brought change about ninteenth century America.
An i agree with Danielle that immigrants were the cause of massive change, without them, on of my causes, the industrial revolution, would not have been possible.
STEFANIE SEQUEIRA!!!
I agree with everyone's comments about the major impact of immigrants. They helped transform our country, taking different jobs that many times they had in their native lands. A lot of these jobs were also very low and dirty. The immigrants were not given the same opportunities as the native born whites, a lot of times because they were illiterate and could not speak English. However, what was different now than ever before was that these people retained their cultures and stuck together, instead of completely assimilating. Neighborhoods like Chinatown and Little Italy in New York formed and this gave a lot of diversity to our country, making it a true "melting pot."
..wear red :)
One of the biggest changes from the beginning of 18th century to the end of the 18th century was the improvement in transportation. The increase in railroads allowed for a more mobile population. As opposed to hitching up a wagon, families could now travel west in railcars. This was a major factor in the increase of the population out west. Another factor of improved transportation was the creation of modern steam ships. This allowed for trade along rivers to go both with and against the flow of water. Now, rivers such as the Mississippi became even more important trading routes.
The most important part of a country are the people that make it up. During the 19th century there were a few periods of extreme immigration. These people helped constitute a diverse population with different needs. Another interesting addition to the population was former slaves, now freed blacks. Although these people were always in our country, they were now citizens. This caused political division and of course was one of the reasons for a small civil war our country fought.
The two most important factors that caused the drastic changes in the 19th century were the advancement of trasportation and the new wave of immigrants.
Transportation allowed people to travel greate distances in a shorter amount of time. This, in conjunction with overcrowdng, allowed cities to expand. It also helped to establish suburbs, where the more well-off members of society would live spaciously and in provacy, while still being able to commute to cities. Additionally, transporation opened up the whole country and allowed expansion and travel between regions.
The new immgrants crowded in cities to find jobs. They took the most unfavorable, but necessary jobs, for low pay, but helped to propel the US forward through thei labor. Additionally, they increased the diversity of the United States as they congregated with people of similar backgrounds and created ethnic neighborhoods.
I agree with Stef's comment about mass media being a large cause of change during the 19th century. The magazines did advocate a new woman that changed society's image. Also, publicity for new presidential nominees created a greater turnout for voters and the parades raised public participation in the government. People began to follow leaders that advocated their own personal beliefs for the Temperance Movement.
I agree with Ally that the political scene and rampant corruption during late 19th century was a defining factor of the era. The politician often tried to influence votes by paying them to vote multiple times. During this time, to these politicians also tried to get the public more involved in voting through parades, buttons and other political hype, resulting in extrememly high voter turnouts.
I think I would disagree with Stef's comment about pop culture becoming a huge part of society. At this point the only mode of decently quick communication was the telegraph. It is unlikely that the telegraph was used in a manner to dispense ideas of popular culture. After Lincoln was killed there were parts of the country that wasn't made aware of the news until weeks later. If important news like that couldn't spread, how can we expect less important information to travel with alacrity. Furthermore, the wealthy moving to the suburbs only helps support this theory. Any pop culture that had a possibility to be spread would have been founded in the cities, as is the way in modern society. With the wealthy moving outside of the cities you are losing their will to spread them, limiting hierarchical diffusion. Pop culture did not play a role in the advancement of America in the 1800s.
The Civil War was the major cause of the Gilded Age, that and the Reconstruction. The Reconstruction provided the perfect backdrop for Republicans to take the stage because many people were unsatisfied with how the Democrats were solving our country's problems. However, once the Republicans came in charge, corruption occurred at an unprecedented level. If people did not disagree with the Democrats, the Republicans would never have been able to get away with that much corruption. The fact that neither party was better than the other led to close elections.
The Civil War also led to the need to rebuild our economy. Therefore, people began investing in railroads and other infrastructure projects. This led to the emergence of the super rich, such as Carnegie and Rockefeller.
One of the main reasons that fueled the transformation was the immigrant movement. The United States received a huge portion of the global migration. Some of these immigrants dreamed of getting rich, or receiving free government land thought the Homestead Act. Many others wanted religious and personal freedoms. They thought that everyone could go to school, and thought that the United States would make them be a person. When arriving in America, immigrants sought to live in communities established by previous settlers from their homelands. This formed communalities near the ports of entry, and inland cities. Because of this, large settlements of immigrants formed "clusters" in major cities. Once they have settled, they looked for work. Even though jobs were scarce, many employers took advantage of these immigrants. They paid them less than the normal worker and paid women even less. This formed a new working class.
Also, another factor was the growth of cities and the shift from rural to industrial. All peoples took part in this shift from rural to urban America. Factories produced more of the goods than farms, and the need for farm labor declined. New machines were replacing a lot of the manual labor that was necessary in the farms. After Reconstruction ended, even African Americans were entering the cities. The arrival of a large number of people changed the characteristics of how cities were. Many features of what we now know cities of began to show up in their cities such as subways, skyscrapers, smog (POLLUTION!), etc. Before the Civil war, cities were small in area and rarely extended more than a few miles. Most of the people lived in walking distance of their workplace and didn’t need much transportation other than their own feet/ Later, motorized methods of transportation made it much quicker and effective to commute to work. Cities also grew upwards as well as outward. Before the Civil War, buildings stood no more than a few stories high, engineers now relied on the strength of the BESSEMER STEEL PROCESS to build higher skyscrapers. They also relied on elevators to reach such high floors. As cities expanded, specialized areas emerged within them.
As posted in my previous comment, I agree with Danielle and her two points. She mentions very similar reasons as I do. The "addition of so many immigrants" absolutely changed the face of the nation. Think about today. we are the "salad bowl" comprised of basically every ethnicity.
Also, the industrialization and expansion of our cities. Jefferson was so wrong! The farming could only take the nation so far. To be fully developed, the country had to focus on the cities and the industrializing. As i said before, much of the farming work was replaced by machines.
The 19th Century was a pivotal moment in the United States' history, as it was a time when the country experienced many major changes. Of the factors that led to these changes, immigration was probably the most influential. As more people came into the United States, new opportunities were created as well as new conflicts. For example, there was a great increase in the number of jobs available to immigrant workers who brought skills they used in their old countries. Conflicts included new prejudices against people of different ethnicities. Another factor to the United States' development was the growth of the railroad industry. Increased transportation allowed more movement west which was later responsible for the major regional differences that existed.
I agree with everyone who talked about Immigration. Immigrants made up a huge part of the work force. Because of this, many Americans resented them and prejudices arose. Acts such as the Chinese Exclusion Act were passed to try to restrict certain types of immigrants. However, without immigrants, many dirty jobs would not have been done, and America would not have the diversity that it has today.
One major transformation of the 19th century was the alignment of the parties. Oddly enough, the Republicans, who were noted for their civil liberties and outreach to African Americans, aligned primarily with big business. This seems to me to be counterintuitive. While Jackson was a major turning point for party definitions, here, I feel, was another.
Another transformation of the era was the immigration influx. the infamous NINA signs showed that discrimination was not unique to blacks or Native Americans. The immigrant "towns" that would spring up, fostered by these racial tensions were the foundations of "stereotypes". Chinatown, Little Italy, etc. were home to specific sects of immigrants who would voluntarily segregated themselves and build a "we" "they" mentality.
Although this is going to sound like an answer copied straight out of a textbook I'm going to say that the underlying cause of the great changes the United States went through was the Industrial Revolution. After all the IR was responsible for, not only industrialzing America, but also for the many advances and inventions that occurred in the next century. Improvements in transportation led to a more connected country, industrialization led to more urbanization and new labor saving inventions allowed for specialization in jobs. Specialization, in turn, was responsible for the creation of the middle class, one of the defining features of the American social landscape. All of these factors boosted the economy and helped create the economic giant that is the USA we now know and love.
I agree with Ally's view of how politics influenced the country. The political system was being used in a corrupt and inefficient way. Because of this, patronage was one of the only qualifications for a person vying for a powerful political position. In many senses money dictated who would receive high up positions rather than qualifications like a good education or political experience. During Grants presidency the United States' government went through a period that transformed the country.
Casey makes a very valid point in recognizing the similarities between the turning point for the democratic parties during the Jacksonian era and this time period. It seems that it was this time when the republicans made the shift to what they are even in present day. The big business that the republicans latched onto and supported was very telling of what was to come.
I agree with Danielle's assertion that the wave of immigrants was partially responsible for the change in the American economy. However the reason for such a massive wave of immigration was that America was a place where the "streets were paved with gold." This shows that the immigrants were also an effect of the economy, not just a cause. Also I would like to agree with Alex that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, in theatres June 24, looks to be quite the motion picture. It features not only a beautiful woman, but also massive explosions, oh and in case you forgot the plot of the movie revolves around cars that transform into giant friggin' robots. Thats the holy trifecta of cinematography. I hope that Optimus Prime has even bigger guns that caus e even more explosions in this one cause that would be sweet.
As many people have stated before, on of the most important things that contributed to this transformation was immigration. The harsh living conditions in Europe prompted millions of immigrants, especially from Eastern Europe, to come to the United States, seeking a better life. These immigrants arrived at Ellis Island, and organized themselves into distinct, ethnic neighborhoods. Large concentrations of Italians settled in Little Italy, while the Lower East Side was for mostly Jewish and other Eastern European immigrants. Here, they tried to keep their own cultures, while blending in with American culture. Life in these immigrant neighborhoods was difficult, with rampant poverty. This juxtaposed the immense wealth held by very few people, who also lived in New York City. On a side note, it was during this time period when my relatives came to the United States and called the Lower East Side, home.
Another important thing that contributed to this transformation was that Americans were becoming more morally concerned. In the beginning, temperance movements were started to fix the social ills of the time. Supported by farmers and religious groups, these early temperance movements later led to Prohibition. Next, following the words of the "social gospel," more charity was done, particularly by church groups. Places like the Hull House, were established, although this place was not affiliated with religion.
i agree with Will (since i am a woman an incapable of original thought, i guess i should probably agree with a man, right?) that the industrial revolution was an underlying motivation of the gilded age. The inventions of the Industrial revolution promoted the capitalism that led to Rockefeller, Carnegie, Vanderbilt, etc. Without these financial giants, the fabric of 19th century America would be foreign to us. The strata that capitalism allowed for created the class hierarchy of the age.
I think the two most important things that contributed to this transformation were simple technological improvements along with a change in peoples' attitudes overall. We're talking about the entire course of the 19th century. On the subject of technology, inventions such as the steam engine and improvements in the steel industry really shaped the nation to become less focused on agriculture (as Amy mentioned). Through these new technologies, people also had different attitudes. People had more class-freedom, too. These two things seem like the root of some of the stuff you guys have mentioned. I agree that immigration was an important thing but the only reason it got that way was BECAUSE of how the nation became reshaped by what I mentioned.
First off, responding to Alex's post, I am surprised that of all people, he knows what is tattooed to Megan Fox's back. More importantly, I agree with Alexa's comment about suburbs. The new transportation of the time, like subways, allowed for wealthy people to venture out of the city. Upper-class families like the Carnegies and Vanderbilts built large, summer homes in the suburbs. Also, other wealthy New Yorkers developed some New Jersey suburbs like Summit, Plainfield, and Millburn. Because of this, the urban structure of the city changed. Now, the poor were concentrated in the center, while the wealthy lived on the outskirts and away from it. This really fortified the divisions between the rich and poor.
One very important change that triggered the Gilded Age was definitely the influx of immigration. The 1880's to 1900's was a very important transitional period for the USA. The economy began to boom based on the immigrants - there were new jobs, urbanization, etc. As we learned from economics, more jobs means more competition. More competition stimulates an economy, and that is just what happened then. The immigrants were leaving behind corrupt political policies from Europe in exchange for the opportunities in America.
A second major change that occurred was the creation of public transportation and infrastructural improvements. Railways sparked the growth and creation of suburbs which became popularized for middle class families looking to be within driving distance of the city. Of course this helped the economy boom as well.
I agree with Evan's comment that immigrants were also a major factor in transitioning America into the Gilded Age. The concentration of immigrants in local communities often made them prime targets for political campaigns. For example, politicians would give out gifts such as shoes to impoverished communities in order to gain votes.
Also in response to Evan, I think everyone has a RIGHT to know what's on Megan Fox's back.
The abundance of immigrants definitely changed the scene of the 19th century. With the increase in low wage workers, class stereotypes changed and class warfare became more prominent. To accompany this growing changed, larger cities were built and they often suffered from urbanization. The second industrial revolution was a major proponent of this growing change. Manufacturing of steel and other metal products gave workers jobs and much of our modern life. Problems that rose, however, included prejudice, lack of jobs due to mass production with machinery, and cultural differences.
I agree with Dharik's comment about technological advancements. As we learned in class, techniques such as the Bessemer process greatly improved steel industry and eventually the whole market. Engines, steel, electricity, and communication all advanced during this supreme age of advancement. Furthermore, competition with other nations such as Germany further increased technological progress. Much of this growth affected agriculture, social life, and the economy. It basically shaped life for much of the late 19th century, which allowed titans such as Andre Carnegie, JP Morgan, and Rockefeller to dominate.
On a side note, having the "right" to know what's on Megan Fox's back does not necessarily mean we need to know about it...Btw why would you know this anyways.
The political realignment in the 1890's really shaped the transformation in that time period. The two parties' stances on certain issues were redefined. Democrats supported lower tariffs to appear to the poor farmers and immigrants. They also supported the dual metal currency. The Republicans, however, had big business interests. They supported the high tariffs. If tariffs were high, then foreign goods would become more expensive, encouraging the consumption of domestic goods.
The second factor that really affected the Guilded Age was the highly impassioned American public. Moral issues appeared, and people got very emotional about these. They included alcohol, corruption, and anti-ethnic attitudes. This led to a higher voter turnout and politically concerned society. It also led to a regionally motivated population.
Will makes an excellent point by linking the great changes experienced in the Guilded Age to the Industrial Revolution. It just goes to show the amazingly long-term impact the IR has had. And these hugely significant effects can even be used to predict future consequences of technological advancements. Who knows, maybe years from now history students will be drawing parallels between the effects of the IR and today's "Green Movement".
During the 19th century, factors caused dynamic changes to America's social and economic structure. The arrival of a large immigration wave caused competition for jobs and restructuring of the social classes. The immigrants were voluntarily segregated by ethnicity and lived in separate areas. In addition, the mass migration of immigrants to cities caused the upper classes to change their residencies from the center of cities to the outskirts or suburbs. Transportation made these changes possible. The elite or middle class could now commute to work and lived in separate areas from the "slums" of the city. This separation caused a great rift between the upper and lower classes. Immigration and transportation were two factors that contributed to the dynamic change of the United State's economy and social structure.
I agree with Rachel's comment. Political realignment did have a huge impact on the United States. The political parties each advocated different standpoints which inturn affected the social classes, namely the lower classes. Higher taxes, higher tariffs, and businesses were affected by the political spheres.
Two important things that contributed to the Guilded age were the new influx of immigrants to the united states who not only brought their own culture, but became a large part of the work force and helped stimulate and boost our economy. Secondly, changes in transportation i.e more railroads dramatically helped becuase items were easily transvered across the entire US and cities expanded and moved outwards as well.
Agreeing with Alan's comment, the new influx of immigrants did bring some negative things to the United States. This included major predjudices that made the foundtation that everyone is equal and free seem extremely hypocritical. And although cities expanded, conditions were extremely rough and extremely overpopulated.
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