today we're looking at the gilded age
today we're looking at the gilded age

hello and welcome to the daily bell ringer please  don't forget to subscribe and take a look at the  
hello and welcome to the daily bell ringer please  don't forget to subscribe and take a look at the  

questions down in the description also don't  forget to check out dailybelringer.com for  
questions down in the description also don't  forget to check out dailybelringer.com for  

resources that go with many of the bellringer  videos the gilded age was a period of enormous  
resources that go with many of the bellringer  videos the gilded age was a period of enormous  

economic growth in america that basically began  in the wake of the civil war in the late 1860s and  
economic growth in america that basically began  in the wake of the civil war in the late 1860s and  

lasted for the next 30 years until the late 1890s  the title gilded age was taken from the mark twain  
lasted for the next 30 years until the late 1890s  the title gilded age was taken from the mark twain  

novel the gilded age of tale of today and during  this time period the economy of the united states  
novel the gilded age of tale of today and during  this time period the economy of the united states  

doubled in size although the industrial revolution  might have had a brief pause with the civil war  
doubled in size although the industrial revolution  might have had a brief pause with the civil war  

breaking out in 1861 the growth of factories  and the use of new manufacturing technology  
breaking out in 1861 the growth of factories  and the use of new manufacturing technology  

continued after the war the gilded age saw  a major shift in the workforce of america  
continued after the war the gilded age saw  a major shift in the workforce of america  

as before the civil war most americans worked  for themselves whereas by 1900 most americans  
as before the civil war most americans worked  for themselves whereas by 1900 most americans  

worked for an employer the massive growth in the  u.s economy drew millions of immigrants to move to  
worked for an employer the massive growth in the  u.s economy drew millions of immigrants to move to  

america during the gilded age it's estimated that  over 11 and a half million immigrants came to  
america during the gilded age it's estimated that  over 11 and a half million immigrants came to  

america with most moving to america from european  countries the completion of the transcontinental  
america with most moving to america from european  countries the completion of the transcontinental  

railroad in 1869 connected the east and west  and now products and resources could be more  
railroad in 1869 connected the east and west  and now products and resources could be more  

easily shipped across the nation it also led  to a rapid settlement of the western part of  
easily shipped across the nation it also led  to a rapid settlement of the western part of  

the united states cities continued to grow as  people flocked to urban centers to work in these  
the united states cities continued to grow as  people flocked to urban centers to work in these  

growing factories by the turn of the century  nearly 40 percent of americans lived in cities  
growing factories by the turn of the century  nearly 40 percent of americans lived in cities  

but american cities were not ready for this rapid  growth tenement housing began popping up in larger  
but american cities were not ready for this rapid  growth tenement housing began popping up in larger  

cities tenements were poorly constructed apartment  buildings with several stories they were built  
cities tenements were poorly constructed apartment  buildings with several stories they were built  

virtually on top of each other and people lived in  incredibly cramped conditions these close quarters  
virtually on top of each other and people lived in  incredibly cramped conditions these close quarters  

were unsanitary and led to disease spreading  quickly throughout these tenements as wealth grew  
were unsanitary and led to disease spreading  quickly throughout these tenements as wealth grew  

so too did the concentration of wealth in america  the elite accumulated enormous amounts of wealth  
so too did the concentration of wealth in america  the elite accumulated enormous amounts of wealth  

many of these elite were termed robber barons  robber barons were the heads of companies who were  
many of these elite were termed robber barons  robber barons were the heads of companies who were  

ruthless in their pursuit of more wealth they use  political tactics corruption and even violence to  
ruthless in their pursuit of more wealth they use  political tactics corruption and even violence to  

make sure they beat the competition they attempted  to create monopolies of different industries  
make sure they beat the competition they attempted  to create monopolies of different industries  

which a monopoly is when one company controls all  of the supply and trade within a certain industry  
which a monopoly is when one company controls all  of the supply and trade within a certain industry  

corruption in government was rampant or widespread  as wealthy industrialists worked diligently to  
corruption in government was rampant or widespread  as wealthy industrialists worked diligently to  

make sure the government did not interfere with  their business or attempt to put any regulations  
make sure the government did not interfere with  their business or attempt to put any regulations  

on them again these industrialists amassed amazing  fortunes which was evident by the homes they  
on them again these industrialists amassed amazing  fortunes which was evident by the homes they  

built george vanderbilt who made his fortune with  railroads built the biltmore mansion in asheville  
built george vanderbilt who made his fortune with  railroads built the biltmore mansion in asheville  

north carolina the biltmore has more than 170 000  square feet 35 bedrooms 43 bathrooms an indoor  
north carolina the biltmore has more than 170 000  square feet 35 bedrooms 43 bathrooms an indoor  

pool and even a bowling alley some of the more  well-known industrialists were andrew carnegie  
pool and even a bowling alley some of the more  well-known industrialists were andrew carnegie  

who made millions in the steel industry and john  d rockefeller who controlled the oil industry  
who made millions in the steel industry and john  d rockefeller who controlled the oil industry  

although both carnegie and rockefeller were  ruthless businessmen they also were known for  
although both carnegie and rockefeller were  ruthless businessmen they also were known for  

being philanthropists or their philanthropy as  carnegie established libraries across the united  
being philanthropists or their philanthropy as  carnegie established libraries across the united  

states and rockefeller gave away nearly half of  his wealth to churches and hospitals as wealthy  
states and rockefeller gave away nearly half of  his wealth to churches and hospitals as wealthy  

industrialists built their fortunes they did so  based on the labor of the working class workers  
industrialists built their fortunes they did so  based on the labor of the working class workers  

were required to work 12-hour days and many times  work six days a week working in unsafe conditions  
were required to work 12-hour days and many times  work six days a week working in unsafe conditions  

eventually the working class began to recognize  how they were being taken advantage of  
eventually the working class began to recognize  how they were being taken advantage of  

and the huge gap between their wages and  the ridiculous income being collected  
and the huge gap between their wages and  the ridiculous income being collected  

by the company owners workers began to  organize and form unions to argue for  
by the company owners workers began to  organize and form unions to argue for  

their rights many workers went on strike or  refused to work until their demands were met  
their rights many workers went on strike or  refused to work until their demands were met  

many times employers would bring in replacement  workers or use violence to attempt to break  
many times employers would bring in replacement  workers or use violence to attempt to break  

up strikes one of the largest strikes was the  pullman strike in 1894 that brought railroads in  
up strikes one of the largest strikes was the  pullman strike in 1894 that brought railroads in  

america to a halt and required the intervention of  president grover cleveland to end the strike and  
america to a halt and required the intervention of  president grover cleveland to end the strike and  

interestingly would lead to the holiday of labor  day being established the gilded age basically  
interestingly would lead to the holiday of labor  day being established the gilded age basically  

came to an end with the panic of 1893 that led  to a four-year economic depression until 1897.  
came to an end with the panic of 1893 that led  to a four-year economic depression until 1897.  

this would then usher in what was known as  the progressive era in america in which they  
this would then usher in what was known as  the progressive era in america in which they  

people attempted to correct some of the social  and political errors which had occurred during  
people attempted to correct some of the social  and political errors which had occurred during  

the gilded age so with that hopefully you  learned something and thanks for watching
the gilded age so with that hopefully you  learned something and thanks for watching

you
you