America During The Gilded Age

The United States of America was founded in hope of creating a more perfect society where the government gets its consent from the people to rule. In its birth, the nation created a new set of values in order to make a government that differed from the oppressive rule of the British that had previously controlled the colonies that were the United States. The founding fathers, in 1776, through the Declaration of Independence and later in the Bill of Rights, set the standards for what they hoped would become of the nation. The ageless standards that all men are created equal, have certain freedoms guaranteed, and have inalienable rights given to them by god were the principles that the country was built upon. However, as decades and centuries …show more content…
Starting when America was just beginning, an individual 's social or economic class has impacted the opportunities available to her or him. According to America in 1787 there was little room to rise up if born into a low economic class, and the majority of high rankings officials were born into their stations. The idea of one’s status being decided pre-birth is a recurring event throughout the decades in the United States. During the Gilded Age this theme continues with the richest 10% of the population controlling over 75% of the wealth. With that drastic numbers one can conclude that not all people are equal. The opportunity and possibility for the rich vastly outweighs that of the poor, which lead to the fact that not all Americans are born equal, and a small percentage have an infinitely better chance of succeeding. This trend has continued through the 1920s and up to now and leaves the conclusion that the U.S has not upheld its initial …show more content…
Despite these god given rights all people are entitled to, the United States has taken steps throughout her history to deny these rights to certain people. During the 1850s and early 1860s, the California state legislature passed anti-Chinese laws and imposed taxes in order to deny civil rights to the Chinese already working in the U.S and to discourage future chinese immigration. The Californian legislature is discriminating against the Chinese race and is refusing to give them their basic human rights. Further evidence can be shown on a larger scale with the Chinese Exclusion Act being passed in 1882. This act was passed nationwide and reveals the theme for the entire country. By banning future chinese immigration and denying the naturalization of Chinese already living in America, the government illustrates its propensity to only protect the rights of certain people and not the rights all people deserve. These same discriminatory actions are repeated later in the 1920s making it clear that the government has not fought to sustain the ideas present in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution. Specifically, in 1924, the government decided to lower the quota from 3% to 2% of