All that glitter is not gold.
The years through 1878 to 1889 in U.S. were known as the Gilded Age. The word “gilded” means “covered with a thin layer of gold or a substance that looks like gold.” And that, indeed, very relevantly summed up the characteristics of that certain period. The growth of industry, a wave of immigrants, the demand of iron and steel, the improvement of transportation, innovations of science and technology and the rise of big business all contributed to the major growth in population and the expansion of economy as well as the achievement in civilization in the U.S. The gilded age got its name from the many great fortunes created during this period and the way of life this wealth supported as well as the muddy dirt hidden of exploitation and ruthlessness below the glittery surface.
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Railroad is one of the main factors that leaded the expansion of America’s economy. Many railroads are established after 1800, it is mainly because scandal and inadequate funding ended. The other reason that accelerated the development of railroad is that Gold was found in the west, and that attracted many miners to move west. Transportation became a major issue, so railroad companies establish more railways in favor of the immigrants. With financial help of the government, railroad mileage rose from 3500 miles to over 16300 miles by 1890. A lot of railroad companies went through a process of consolidation in which they combined themselves to form a larger economical force and less competition. Railroads were the place where many fortunes were built during the gilded age. And a great many railroad barons revealed their power of wealth at the time such as Cornelius Vanderbilt, James S. Hill. They were also known as the “Robber Barons” for their overpowering fortune and sometimes unethical financial operations.
Railroads helped other industries too. The high demand of iron and steel and its ability to transfer goods from places speeded up the whole industrial progress and created opportunities for industrial barons such as James B. Duck and J.P Morgan. These industries formed corporations for less competition and they could raise their prices knowing people would still have to buy their products.
Capitalists needed the work forces in order to exploit them and suck all the blood out of them to get the wealth they wished. With a pushing force of difficult conditions at home, and a pulling force of new opportunities in US, approximately 1.3 million immigrants those are mainly from Mexico, China and Japan rushed through the border of the United States, hoping for better lives and work conditions. This sudden growth of population gave angry politicians a better reason to protest against the government for allowing immigration. The people were also angry about immigrants replacing their status and taking over their jobs. As for the jobs immigrants got were the dirtiest and hardest jobs, with long working hours of 10-12 a day, 6 days a week and little pay. Most of them worked in factories or mines where working conditions were harsh, unsafe, caused illnesses and most of the money they earned went directly into the pockets of their local hirer. Workers went on strikes but none of those went into effect. A novel named “The Jungle” was based on the hard life of an immigrant in a meatpacking factory during the period of gilded age.
While the rich got richer everyday and the poor got poorer everyday, levels like “Low class”, “middle class” and “high class” developed. With Capitalists climbing on the labors’ backs and synchronously pressing the low class people down, people living at the bottom of this pyramid of society had no way to get up. And they were stuck under there in that position until one day poverty became too big a problem that they couldn’t bare it anymore. So up they go committing crimes such as robberies and formed gangs, causing a lot more trouble for the government. The Gilded age was truly a period of glory, and it is a very important step in the U.S history. But all that glitter is not gold. Optimists often looked at the glittery surface of upper class and sang “joy to the world”, but never seemed to dig under that exterior and see what a true mess this is.
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