<span>The Gilded Age is the latter half of the 19th century, when an increase in production and wealth drove many more people to live in urban areas than had ever before. The middle class gained more wealth and sought to live like the elite upper class. This stands in stark contrast to the lifestyle of Puritans in the 16th and 17th centuries, who sought to live simple and pure lives devoid of wealth. Puritans lived in small settlements and avoided excess wealth.</span>
