America from after the Civil War up until the 1890’s is described as being the period of time that was golden on the outside, but if you scratch the surface corrupt underneath. This period is known as the Gilded Age, which is a term invented by a famous American author Mark Twain. During the Gilded Age, America was facing serious social problems. These problems were being masked by the advancements of the new modern nation it was turning into. This era is significant because there is no event that solely occurred that resulted in defining the Gilded Age. Therefore, there is multiple factors that are associated instead. These factors include industrialization, immigration, westward expansion, and urbanization. It is through these factors that America’s society became fully developed into the modern nation of today. Industrialization is defined as the build up of industries on a wide scale.
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During the Gilded age, this quality is exceptionally prominent. The average American was constantly wanting to advance societies way of life. In order to accomplish this task, most of society needed to become urbanized. Urbanization leads to modernization and industrialization which are both components that make up the meaning of the Gilded Age. For the first time in America’s history, there were more people living in the cities than there were living in the countrysides. The reason being is because people were primarily working in the factories located in the cities, which made up the industries that ran the country. The robber barons running these industries would pay the people low wages to work in the factories. Their low income forced the working class to live in terrible living conditions called the slums. The slums were heavily populated urban areas where people who were faced with poverty lived. Not only did they have to live in oppressed conditions, but the factories work conditions were terrible as
During the Gilded age, this quality is exceptionally prominent. The average American was constantly wanting to advance societies way of life. In order to accomplish this task, most of society needed to become urbanized. Urbanization leads to modernization and industrialization which are both components that make up the meaning of the Gilded Age. For the first time in America’s history, there were more people living in the cities than there were living in the countrysides. The reason being is because people were primarily working in the factories located in the cities, which made up the industries that ran the country. The robber barons running these industries would pay the people low wages to work in the factories. Their low income forced the working class to live in terrible living conditions called the slums. The slums were heavily populated urban areas where people who were faced with poverty lived. Not only did they have to live in oppressed conditions, but the factories work conditions were terrible as