Question

The late 19th century was dominated by the "Gilded Age" and the "Progressive Era". In an essay, discuss the changing American society. Include ideas on: The impact of the railroads. The consequences of urbanization. Causes and consequences of the Progressive movement. Be sure to use specific historical examples to support your response.

Answer 1

Answer:

The period from 1865 to 1914 was the most successful in the economic history of the United States. The Gilded Age, which lasted in the USA from 1870 to 1900, provides an example of economic development based on the principles of Laissez Faire. The results were unprecedented: the emergence of new industries, goods, inventions, wage growth, population growth made America the most developed economy in the world, putting it in first place in the world in industrial production. This period was replaced by the Age of Progressism, radically revising the fundamental principles of American domestic and foreign policy. The 'limited state' of the Gilded Age was replaced by the 'total state' of W. Wilson. Promising to build a “new democracy,” the Wilson administration established a system of loans for farmers, strengthened antitrust laws, and carried out banking reform, which created the Federal Reserve System, which exists today. During the years of the “progressive era," the United States significantly strengthened its position in the international arena and gained the status of a world power actively participating in the affairs of the whole world.

Six transcontinental railways have made the United States a single market, the largest free trade zone. For example, an entrepreneur in California could sell his product in all states precisely thanks to the rapid growth of railways. The speed and low cost of transportation combined the US economy into a single, well-functioning mechanism. Carnegie's steel made it possible to create many skyscrapers, railways, and bridges.

Industrialization in the American North was accompanied by urbanization, because the large industrial enterprises located there required workers who settled nearby. The population of New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and other large industrial centers in the era of the "Gilded Age" exceeded one million. Population growth was accompanied by changes in architecture and urban transport, which gave them a modern look.

Explanation: