During the late 19th century, large influxes of poor immigrants from Europe poured into the United States. Coupled with the ever-increasing industrialization of the country, the income gap started to rise as wealth became more and more concentrated. Business titans began to assert control over their respective sectors through a new form of competition. Railroad rebates, espionage, monopolies, and purchases of competition became the new norm of the business world. Coined the “Gilded Age,” this period of American history experienced a new spectrum of political and economic issues. Muckraking journalists made a host of claims that exposed corruption in a variety of industries and warned the public of the potential dangers of such businesses. Serialized
