Urbanization In The Gilded Age

The late 1800’s and early 1900’s was a time period that can be identified as the Gilded Age era in America. The political and socio-economic climates were rapidly changing, partly in fallout from industrialization and repercussions of rapid urbanization. The industrial revolution transformed what it meant to work, and shaped the once agrarian country into a more consumer driven, capitalistic marketplace. However, during this time period of drastic change in America, different economic classes like farmers, new immigrants and the emerging middle class began to play vastly different roles with regards to work, and at the same time began to obtain new identities in the workplace. The industrial revolution brought about many changes in the workforce, most importantly, changing how work was done. Before the onset of rapid urbanization and industrialization in …show more content…
For example, a bank advertisement from Mobile, Alabama stated that “Mobile has less banking capital…than any other city in the United States.” (Alabama National Bank) Without tangible currency or capital, sharecroppers and tenant farmers were forced even further to rely on the landowners for a place to live and materials in hopes of one day being able to profit for themselves, and advance their economic standing. In remedy to lack of tangible capital, tenant farmers and sharecroppers may have resorted to taking out loans or borrowing money in a similar fashion. A loan advertisement from The People’s Building, Loan and Saving Association offered loans, “…to lift mortgages, improve property, or to put into your business.” (Money! Money! Advertisement) The language of these loan advertisements were positive and conveyed a sense of solution to any economic situation, however, without a reliable means to repay the loans, sharecroppers and tenant farmers faced the same situation of