American History I students are now studying the Gilded Age of the turn of the 19th Century in the United States. We have been looking at the general trends of industrialization, the growth of cities and inequality of the American working class.
EXTRA CREDIT: Describe what caused the economic inequality between the "haves and the have nots" in America in the early 1900s? The more you describe, the more causes that you describe, the more points that will be awarded.
I think that education played a major factor, the more studies you had the more money you earned, immigration was a big issue, most of the immigrants were moneyless people that worked in the "lowest-categories" jobs. Gender inequality did not allow women to earn as much money as men did. some people could have made plenty of money thanks to the gold rushes, then moved to the city and invested.
ReplyDeleteThe economic inequality in the rich and poor of the Gilded Age is contributed to by the increase in the major industries like the railroads, machinery, oil, and financial services. These were all run by the major families of the late 1800's, who in turn, become more powerful with influx of revenue they were experiencing. The "have nots" were the people working for the "haves" for a decreased amount of pay, so that the wealthy people can have more money in the end.
ReplyDeleteThe inequality between the "haves and have nots" was a consequence of massive growth in business and industry, and the greediness of the "haves". People needed work, and were virtually forced to work for little money. Business wanted workers that would work the most for the least, and there were no regulations that stopped them. This was another cause. The government had no regulations preventing the exploitation of the working class. With nothing to stop them from getting richer and paying a fair wage, "haves" used the labor of their workers to get rich.
ReplyDelete-Colby Hammack
Education played a huge factor.The more studies you had the more money.Immigrants were poor people that worked the Crappy jobs. -Jacob
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