The Gilded Age Fear Of Reform - 1351 Words

Finnley Maier Hist 423 Death in Haymarket: Fear of Reform in the Gilded Age The Gilded Age was an important time in America’s development. Chicago was a zeitgeist for the Gilded Age, with railroads flowing in and out from all over the country; its no wonder Chicago became a hub for both economic productivity and turmoil. It was a period of both prosperity and poverty. The Gilded Age was marred by tensions over the wealth gap, political corruption, communism, immigration, fear of reform, and of course labor and worker rights. While all of these played a role and had importance, the most pressing anxiety and the root of all these other tensions was fear of reform. The horror of change whether it be over politics or an eight hour work day lead to the Haymarket incident and still permeates through humanity today. Through analyzing the other prevalent tensions of the Gilded age the fear of reform shows itself to be the most dominant theme and anxiety. With millions of immigrants coming into the United States during the Gilded Age, it naturally became a pop ular issue over the merit or suspicion of these immigrants. From the events of the highly publicized Franco-Prussian war and the Commune, a growing skepticism began to brew about foreign morality and what immigrants truly thought about the tensions going on at the time. Immigrants began to be portrayed as sketchy purveyors of anarchy and mischief. August Spies, a GermanShow MoreRelatedDuring the 19th century, America was going through an important transition. The nation was dealing1300 Words   |  6 Pagesprecursor to the period deemed the â€Å"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 groundRead MoreWomen During The Civil War997 Words   |  4 Pagesstill did not work outside the home. They were expected to stay home and tend to their families. Minority women, on the other hand, had to balance home life and their jobs outside of the home. An extensive advance for a change called the First Reform Era, arose in the years before the Civil War. The new movement included the efforts of social activists to improve working conditions and humanize the treatment of the mentally ill and prisoners. Despite their newly freed status and relatively lowRead MoreGilded Age Dbq Essay932 Words   |  4 Pagespolitical disillusionment. Even as the continent expanded and industrialized, political life in the Gilded Age was marked by ineptitude and stalemate as passive, rather than active, presidents merely served as figureheads to be manipulated rather than enduring strongholds. As politicians from both the White House to the courthouse were deeply entangled in corruption and scandal during the Gilded Age, the actual economic and social issues afflicting urbanizing America festered beneath the surface withoutRead MoreThe United States Economy During The Great Depression1464 Words   |  6 PagesCompression. To begin with, the United States economy during the 1920s, prior to the Great Depression, was one that consisted of individuals pursuing to live the American dream at all costs. The time period of the 1920s was also known as the Gilded Age. The Gilded Age suffered from immense inequality. There were rich individuals and many poor individuals, and yet hardly any class in between. Many individuals were consuming immensely in order to live the American dream. Individuals were taking credit.Read MoreFederal Elections Committee Vs. United States1389 Words   |  6 PagesCommittee (â€Å"Citizens United versus Federal Election Commission.). The Federal Elections Committee was given this authority under the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, or BCRA, which is the federal law that is primarily being challenged. Citizens United argued that the first amendment is being violated by a section of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act that restricts labor unions and corporations from providing fundin g for communications of the electioneering nature. Furthermore, they must discloseRead MoreWorld War I, The Great Depression And Its Aftermath1004 Words   |  5 PagesWhen considering time between 1865 and 1945, United States history evolved and differed from period to period. It began with times of slavery and reconstruction, and proceeded with transformation in the Gilded Age. This then led to the Progressive Era, World War I, the Great Depression and its aftermath, as well as World War II. As one can see, history seems to fluctuate from times of peace and order to times of chaos and turmoil. A process of trial and error explains both how and why the U.S. changedRead MoreThe Civil War Of The United States1456 Words   |  6 Pagesfor jobs and gave way to Darwinist using this to better their profit. By doing that it took away jobs from thousands of Americans. When the gilded age came to play people took control and in these times they used the poor as a way of making a profit. W eather it’s the economy, religion or society itself Darwinism ruled the minds of people all through the Gilded Age, and shaped the way businesses and social classes think today. â€Å"The Origin of species† was written in 1859 and gave a new look on theologyRead MoreCinderella Man Analysis763 Words   |  4 Pageshim were fearful as to how they were supposed to manage their lives. Many were living off of the soup line and if the soup line ran out before one could receive their food, then he/she would not eat for the day. A fear that many people had in this time, as well as Braddock, was the fear of not being able to properly care for their children. Braddock’s wife, at one point, sent their children to live with their sister. In the movie, a problem that the Braddock’s had was that they ran out of credit atRead MoreApush Gilded Age2856 Words   |  12 PagesThe Gilded Age * During the Gilded Age, American businesses were transformed: * Massive corporations replaced small, family businesses * New technology, transportation, marketing, labor relations, efficient mass-production * By 1900, the U.S. was the most industrialized country in the world * 19th-century inventors led to an â€Å"Age of Invention†: * Cyrus Field’s telegraph cable * Business typewriters, cash registers, adding machines * High-speed textileRead MoreThe Birth Control Movement Essay example1442 Words   |  6 PagesThe Progressive Era was a period of social and political reform beginning in the post Gilded Age 19th century and lasting through WWI. Industrial and urban growth of early 19th century America while representative of opportunity and future advancement simultaneously posed many difficulties for working class citizens. Prior concerns over the conditions of working class citizens were multiplied and magnified by overpopulated and impoverished urban communities. During this era many new Progressive