American History: The Gilded Age

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Pages: 4
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Rohan Chandhok
Mr.Rhodes
American History
February 3rd

In the aftermath of the Civil War, America went through economic growth. With economic growth came issues such as political impact and economic division. There was the poor and the rich, two very different life styles. The rich lived a lavish and comfortable life while the poor lived a hellish life. Unlike the rich, the poor had to fight for fair wages as well as fair labor treatment and freedom. There was even a fight between men and women for women’s independence. All of this is known to us as the Gilded Age.

Due to natural resources, labor, market expansion, manufactured goods, and the availability of capital, America’s economy grew into something that would benefit the country (Foner, …show more content…
Wage labor in factories drastically increased, and individualism and creativity was somewhat destroyed in the process (Document C). Workers wanted there freedom and authority back and sought to do so with labor contracts (Foner, 625). With the labor contracts came a catch. The workers could not complain of freedom loss(Foner, 625). Workers built off the labor contracts and formed a Farmers Alliance. The Farmers Alliance had a goal of restoring there working conditions while staying away from politics and the corporate world (Foner, 639). The alliance would loan money to farmers and sell there produce (Foner, 640). Not being able to fund this plan anymore, farmers broke there goal and went to the government to get loans at low interest rates. (Foner, 640). The Farmers Alliance was an example of the extent the poor would go to in order to restore fair working conditions, and the People’s Party did the same. The People’s Party came to appeal to farmers as well as the producing and working class (Foner, 640-641). Winning the support of miners and industrial workers the People’s Party or better known as the Populists came to represent all of the common people and there beliefs. Samuel Gompers somewhat a Populist himself gave his opinion on the treatment of workers in his address before the International Labor Congress in Chicago. He stated that “We demand a reduction …show more content…
It was a time where money defined who you are and your status as a member of society. The Gilded Age was ruled and corrupted by the big corporations who poorly treated the workers. The workers then fought back in order to gain the independence, freedom, and rights they
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