The Gilded Age

AN ERA OF RAPID ECONOMIC GROWTH

THE RICH GOT RICHER AND THE POOR GOT POORER

Business Magnates
Robber Barons American Capitalist that became
rich through ruthless means at the end of the 19th
century

Rockefeller (Oil company)

Morgan (Electricity company)

Carnegie (Steel company)

Vanderbilt ( Railroads company)

Pro-Business Government Policies

Subsidies - a sum of money granted by the government to assist
an industry or business
Tariffs a tax placed on imports or exports that protect local big
business
Laissez Faire Policies a policy that prevents governments from
interfering in a free market economy.

Gilded Age Politics

Boss Tweed head of Tammany hall (NYC), corrupt, taxed people
13 million and pocketed 10 million of total.
- Thomas Nast political cartoonist, exposed corruption in
Tamanny Hall, specifically Boss Tweed.
Patronage Spoils system, giving jobs to friends over qualified
candidates
Civil service & Pendleton Civil Service Act a bipartisan civil
service commission that can make appointments to federal jobs by
evaluating candidates.
Social Darwinism - the strong should see their wealth and
power increase while the weak should see their wealth and power
decrease