Big Businesses During Gilded Age

The gilded age was an age of industrial revolution. With inventions of machines and the major social problems, it was an era of great change for the United States.

In the Gilded Age, big business controlled most aspects of everyday life. As the United States was amid a time of economic growth, big business was growing as well-- contributing to that economic growth, all the while, gaining control and dominance across the nation. With such an influencing power, big business cared less to think about anyone else other than themselves. Due to this corrupt possession of power big business possessed, legislation was passed in their favor with the government wrapped around their fingers. The economy, politics and the lives of most Americans were affected negatively when big business reigned supreme.

The Gilded Age after the Civil War caused the American economy to grow drastically during the 1870s. Due to the manufacturing business spreading across the nation, entrepreneurs such as Andrew Carnegie, J.P Morgan and John D. Rockefeller were considered the “captains of industry” who helped grow the economy. But, there were some who believed these entrepreneurs were “robber barons,” as people who worked in the manufacturing business were treated badly, underpaid, and forced to work long hours in dangerous circumstances. Although these so called “captains of industries” may have helped the economy when it needed them the most, they perfectly represented the term given to their era, the Gilded Age, where their monopolies and gold exterior came from their dangerous and “robber baron” factory working.

Greed can be a powerful motivating force, evident through the positive impact it had on Industrialization in America during the Gilded Age. During this time new inventions became plentiful, but where there were new inventions there also had to be new businesses to back these inventions up and allow them to be successful. Wealthy business owners were able to help in this regard. They already had the capacity to help facilitate the creation of these new inventions, but it did not stop there. This is where greed came in. Greed is the intense and selfish desire for wealth, and it was this that empowered the rich during this time to expand upon their already successful businesses to become even more rich and powerful than they were before. This led to a surge of businesses in the country, and it was all due to greed. It was this desire for more that led to an increase in productivity in the country that helped with the spread of technology throughout it which made it more enticing for immigrants coming to America.

The late 19th century and early 20th century, dubbed the Gilded Age by writer Mark Twain, was a time of great growth and change in every aspect of the United States, and even more so for big business. It was this age that gave birth to many of the important modern business practices we take for granted today, and those in charge of business at the time were considered revolutionaries, whether it was for the good of the people or the good of themselves.

As the age of Reconstruction ended, the Gilded Age of big businesses began in the United States and with it came new jobs and goods for Americans. When new corporations became more successful, it made an immense impact on the economy, the political system and the lives of citizens. Economically, the cost of food and living went down significantly as well as a surplus of jobs. Political leaders were corrupted by big business as their decisions and laws were influenced by the wealthy class’ bribes and stealing from the common man. Though mass production allowed goods to be made quicker and in greater quantity, the workers’ horrible working conditions and remarkably long hours caused the creation of unions and strikes. Despite the great effect big business had on the economy in the Gilded Age through the decline in the cost of food and fuel, the daily lives of average working-class citizens were negatively impacted by long hours, horrid working conditions leading to unions and a corrupted political system.

During the Gilded Age of late 1800’s and early 1900’s, a time period that essential government intervention was provided in big business and banking to protect workers, promote sound banking practices, clean up the cities and make them healthier and to improve rights for underrepresented Americans. The Gilded Age, growing production and industrialization was rising at an enormous rate. In the North, factories were booming and inventing new and more efficient ways to produce goods. This created more employment opportunities, and for some a way into the middle-class of society. Men, women and children were entering the workforce. Mass production in factories and industry made it possible to lower the prices of goods and made them more readily available for the public consumer. Railroads expanded across the U.S. making it more economical to ship and receive goods. The steel industry was making leaps and bounds in new processes of making a stronger and better product. Electricity was becoming more available to areas that were without power and the perfection of the lightbulb by Thomas Edison brought light into homes and factories, changing the way society shopped, worked and the way they took part leisure activities.

The Gilded Age was one of the most dynamic and controversial periods in American history. With the growth of factories in the north, America’s economy increased at an unbelievable rate. This growth created a series of new opportunities for some but also left many workers and farmers to struggle in poverty and harsh conditions. As one groups continued to grow more and more wealthy, the other continued to grow poorer and poorer. This created a huge disparity between the rich and the poor. As this phenomenon continued it created many problems such as monopolies, racist and sexist laws, filthy city conditions, and child labor. To try to remedy these problems, the Progressive Movement was started. By initiating reforms in many aspects of American

Throughout history, America was faced with many problems socially, economically, politically, and technologically. But America has also experienced many great successes in these areas as well. Some opportunities were seized, while others were wasted. We can learn from our past failures and successes and take what we have learned from them forward with us into the future, to help build and maintain a better America. The Gilded Age, during the late 1800’s, was a time in America where we experienced explosive economic growth, serious social problems, new innovative technology, and the rise of corporations and corruption in politics. We have learned from some of these things that we went through in the Gilded Age and fixed them, but we are still facing some of the problems we faced back then, today.

The American business giants of the Gilded Age were captains of industry. The men and women who lived in this time period took risks in search of wealth. Some entrepreneurs didn’t earn that wealth in a good way. However, they did what they needed to pursue their dreams. Some became very successful, creating monopolies like Rockefeller Oil. Others weren’t so lucky and went bankrupt.

We are living on the verge of the second part of the Gilded Age right now. The Gilded age is considered years 1870-1890. While the 21st century, today, is reliving the late 19th century. This age consisted of people seeking a new beginning and moving to the United States because they believed that America was the place to be for a new and better beginning. Many people would reference America's streets were "paved with gold,” little did they know the road they would have to travel to actually believe such a thing to be true. The United States has faced many different changes some for the greater good and some for the worse. The 21st century is repeating the Gilded age not only socially, but also culturally, economically, and politically.

The Gilded age was a time of deception and industry. Many businesses tried to make it to the top but most failed. Very few went on to become a huge success, such as Carnegie’s steel production. Being a captain of industry is a big importance, and even though people may not like your methods, they work for you and your business.

The effects of the Gilded Age were substantial. The population in San Francisco grew from a small settlement of about 200 residents in 1846 to a boomtown of about 36,000 by 1852. Roads, churches, schools, and other towns were built throughout California, and the flood of instant wealth created a mountain of work for not only the local people, but also for immigrants. So, the Gilded Age brought about many positive changes in California. Even through, American government is blaming the new immigrants of overpopulating the nation, and for being the cause to all of the negative events that occurred, but it was the age of robber barons and the corporate exploitation of workers, and the divide between rich and poor was enormous. I believe "The Gilded Age" is a reference to how gilded objects look like gold, but the gold rubs off when touched, much like the increased industrialization of the country looked like a good thing, but had dark consequences, like discrimination. Before the Gilded Age, most of the newly arrived to the California territory were Americans, but tons of gold attracted tens of thousands from Latin America, Europe, Australia, and eventually China, who came to work. Those immigrants came to America for wealth, and avoided turmoil in their countries, but they also had to face low wages and discrimination from local people. In order to stay in America, they lived in the most terrible environments，and learned to live and suffer through such unfair treatment.

Over time, from the Gilded Age to the 1940s, the United States made progress toward a more equal economic lifestyle for all Americans. Through a combination of laws, organizations, and determined citizens, the powers of businesses were regulated, workers were given rights, and America was transformed into an economic superpower. The Gilded Age was a time when the wealthy Titans of Industry held unlimited power, with no laws to hold them back. The first signs of progress began to show in the Progressive Era, largely due to muckrakers like Ida Tarbell and government officials such as President Theodore Roosevelt. The government strictly regulated monopolies, but that changed with the laissez-faire economic strategy in the Roaring 20s. While the

The working conditions during the Gilded Age were poor and unstable. Many people lost their jobs for simply being sick or trying to take a day off because of a lost family member or friend. People would fight for power in the workplace. Workers organized the first large American labor unions during the Gilded Age. There were constant strikes and violence.