Section 3
The Gilded Age
In 1873 Mark Twain and Charles Warner co-wrote
the novel, The Gilded Age. Historians use this
term to refer to the time between 1870 and
1900. The term “gilded” refers to something
being gold on the outside while the inside is
made of cheaper material. The authors tried to
point out that although this was a time of
growth, beneath the surface were corruption,
poverty, and a huge difference between rich
and poor.
 Industrialization and urbanization caused
Americans to look at society in a different way.
This gave way to new values, art, and forms of
entertainment.

A
strong belief during the Gilded Age was the
idea of individualism. This is the belief that
regardless of your background, you could still
rise in society. Horatio Alger, a minister from
Massachusetts, left the clergy and moved to
New York where he wrote over 100 novels
about rags-to-riches stories.
Why did Mark Twain and
Charles Warner call
the era from about
1870 to around 1900
the Gilded Age?
They were trying to
warn people about
the society during this
time. “Gilded” refers
to something covered
in gold on the outside
while the inside is
cheaper. They
believed that
although on the
surface, society
appeared to shine,
the inside actually
held corruption,
poverty, and crime.
Herbert Spencer, an English philosopher, first
proposed the idea of Social Darwinism. Spencer
took Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and
natural selection and applied it to human
society. Like Darwin’s theory—that a species that
cannot adapt to the environment will eventually
die out—Spencer felt that human society evolved
through competition. He concluded that society
progressed and became better because only the
fittest people survived. Industrial leaders agreed
with Social Darwinism.
 Social Darwinism paralleled laissez-faire, an
economic doctrine that was opposed to
government interference with business.

Many devout Christians and some leading
scientists opposed the idea of Darwin’s
conclusions about the origin of new species.
They rejected the theory of evolution because it
went against the Bible’s account of creation.
 Andrew Carnegie, a wealthy business leader,
believed in Social Darwinism and laissez-faire.
However, he also felt those who profited from
society should give something back, so he
softened Social Darwinism with his Gospel of
Wealth. This philosophy stated that wealthy
Americans were responsible and should engage
in philanthropy, using great fortunes to further
social progress.

Why were devout
Christians and
some science
leaders against
Social Darwinism?
They rejected the
theory of evolution
because it went
against the Bible’s
account of
creation.




A new movement in art and literature, called realism,
portrayed people in realistic situations instead of
idealizing them as the romantic artists had done.
Thomas Eakins, a painter from Philadelphia, observed and
painted day-to-day living in a realistic fashion. He used
realistic detail and precise lighting.
Writer and literary critic, William Dean Howells, wrote
realistically about American life. He also recognized talent
in several writers of this time, including Mark Twain, who
wrote Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1884. Twain is
thought to have written the first true American novel.
Henry James, an English writer, portrayed the lives of the
upper class in his 1881 novel, Portrait of a Lady.
Edith Wharton won a Pulitzer Prize for the novel The Age
of Innocence, which portrayed the complicated lives of the
upper-class in New York in the 1870s.
How did the
Realist movement
in art and
literature differ
from that of the
romantic artists?
People had more
money to spend
during this time.
As a result, they
spent money on
entertainment and
recreation. They
were also willing
to leave their
homes to go out in
public to have fun.




Popular culture changed in the late 1800s. People had
more money to spend on entertainment and recreation.
Work became separate from home. People looked to have
fun by “going out” to public entertainment.
During the 1800s, the saloon acted like a community and
political center for male workers. It offered free toilets,
water for horses, free newspapers, and free lunches.
Coney Island in New York was an amusement park that
attracted working class families and single adults. It
offered amusements such as water slides and railroad
rides.
Watching sports became very popular in the late 1800s.
Baseball began to appear in the United States in the early
1800s. In 1869 the first salaried team, the Cincinnati Red
Stockings, was formed. Football and basketball also
became popular during this time.
 In
the early 1880s, vaudeville became
popular. It was adapted from the French
theater and combined animal acts, acrobats,
gymnasts, and dancers in its performance.
 During this time, people began enjoying
ragtime music. The most famous African
American ragtime composer was Scott
Joplin, who became known as the King of
Ragtime.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
nFeF_yFtssk
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i
euj7hTLVk0
Section 4
The Rebirth of Reform




Changes in industrialization and urbanization led to
debates among Americans over the issue of how to handle
society’s problems.
In 1879 journalist Henry George wrote a best-selling book
called Progress and Poverty. It raised questions about
American society and challenged the ideas of Social
Darwinism and laissez-faire economics.
In 1883 Lester Frank Ward’s Dynamic Sociology argued
that humans were unlike animals because they could think
and plan ahead. He concluded that it was cooperation and
not competition that caused people to succeed. He wanted
government to become more involved in solving societal
problems. These ideas became known as Reform
Darwinism.
In 1888 Edward Bellamy’s Looking Backward 2000–1887
became a bestseller and helped shape the thinking of
American reformers in the late 1800s. The book tells the
story of a perfect society in the year 2000.
Wrote Progress and Poverty
Henry George
Wrote Dynamic Sociology
Lester Frank Ward
Wrote Looking Backward 2000–
1887
Edward Bellamy
What was the real
importance of
Henry George and
his writings?
George raised
questions about
American society
and challenged the
ideas of Social
Darwinism and
laissez-faire
economics.
 Realists
argued that people could control
their lives and make choices to improve their
situation. In a style of writing known as
naturalism, writers criticized industrial
society. They suggested that some people
failed in life due to circumstances they could
not control.
 Prominent naturalist writers included
Stephan Crane, Frank Norris, Jack London,
and Theodore Dreiser. All wrote stories of
characters caught up in situations they could
not control.
What did Jack
London’s tales of
Alaskan wilderness
illustrate?
They demonstrated
the extreme power
that the natural
environment can
have over
civilization.


Reformers began to organize to help the poor.
Organizations such as the Social Gospel movement,
Salvation Army, YMCA, women’s clubs, settlement
houses, and temperance movements formed to help
the needy.
Minister Washington Gladden was an early supporter
of the Social Gospel movement. He wanted to apply
“Christian Law” to social problems. From 1870 to
1920, members of the Social Gospel group worked to
better conditions in cities through charity and
justice. Baptist minister Walter Rauschenbusch later
led the movement. He believed that competition was
the cause of many social problems. This led to many
churches taking on community functions to improve
society by offering gyms, social programs, and
daycare.


In 1878 the Salvation Army offered aid and religious
counseling to urban poor. The YMCA attempted to
help industrial workers and urban poor through Bible
studies, prayer meetings, citizenship training, and
group activities. They had facilities that offered
libraries, gyms, pools, and low-cost hotel rooms.
Dwight L. Moody was an evangelical Christian and
president of the Chicago YMCA. He founded his own
church, today known as Moody Memorial Church. By
1867 Moody was so popular that he brought his
revival meetings to other cities. He was against Social
Gospel and Social Darwinism. He felt the way to help
the poor was by redeeming their souls and not by
providing them with services.
 The
settlement house movement was
promoted by reformers who felt it was their
Christian duty to improve the living
conditions of the poor. Jane Addams set up
settlement houses in poor neighborhoods.
Addams opened Hull House in 1889 and
inspired many others, including Lillian Wald’s
Henry Street settlement house in New York
City. Medical care, recreation programs, and
English classes were provided at settlement
houses.
How did Jane
Addams and Lillian
Wald help the
poor?
They set up
settlement houses
that provided poor
residents a place
to go for medical
care, recreation,
English classes,
and hot lunches.






In the late 1880s, the increase of industry resulted in a need for
better-trained workers. As a result, there was a need for more
school and colleges.
Americanization, or becoming knowledgeable about American
culture, was key to the success of immigrant children.
Due to the lack of educational opportunities for African
Americans, Booker T. Washington led the crusade to form the
Tuskegee Institute in Alabama in 1881.
The grammar school system in the city divided students into eight
separate grades to help teach successful habits in the workplace.
The number of colleges greatly increased in the late 1800s. This
was partly a result of the Morrill Land Grant Act, which gave
federal land grants to states for the purposes of establishing
agricultural and mechanical colleges. College attendance
increased. The number of women’s colleges also increased.
Free libraries provided education to city dwellers. Andrew
Carnegie donated millions toward the construction of libraries.
In what way did
public schools pose
a problem for
immigrants?
Parents were
afraid their
children would
become too
Americanized and
forget their
culture and
traditions.