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The Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant
Grant’s presidency symbolizes many of the problems that America faced during the gilded age. On the outside, there were many successes (such as the 15th amendment, the remittance of the Confederate States, and the Naturalization act of 1870), but on the inside it was plagued with corruption (The Whiskey Ring and the Crédit Mobilier) and economic failure (The Panic of 1873). -
The Invention of the Telephone
Perhaps the longest lasting creation from the Gilded Age, the first working telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell, and it would go on to revolutionize the way man views communication. -
The Election of 1786
At the end of the Election, neither Hayes nor Tilden had enough electoral votes for the presidency, with resulted in The Compromise of 1877, which stated that the south would accept the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes if troops were removed from the south, Hayes had a southern democrat on his cabinet, a southern transcontinental railroad was built, and if legislation that helped restore the south’s economy was passed. This election successfully ended reconstruction in the south. -
The Railroad Strike of 1877
The Railroad Strike of 1877 began after the Baltimore & Ohio railroad company cut wages for their workers for the third time that year. Workers would not allow any trains to pass until the wage cut had been revoked, however it was cut short when President Hayes sent in federal troops to put an end to the strike. The Railroad Strike of 1877 shows the spirit of the working class of America in the gilded age, and how the government would rather side with businesses than its people. -
The Assassination of President James A. Garfield
Charles Guiteau actively supported Garfield’s campaign for the presidency in the hopes of receiving a government position thanks to the spoils system. However, Guiteau did not receive a position, and chose to teach Garfield and future candidates a lesson by shooting and killing Garfield. Guiteau’s plan backfired when the Pendleton Service Reform Act was passed, removing the spoils system entirely, meaning that positions would be given to more competent candidates, lowering corruption rates. -
The Creation of the American Time Zones
One of the most important creations from the Gilded Age, time zones were created to make train travel simpler. Prior to this, each train station set its own time, confusing passengers. -
The Haymarket Square Riot
In Chicago's Haymarket Square, many members of the Knights of Labor, a major group in support of labor strikes, rallied in support of striking workers from McCormick Harvester Works, when a group of eight anarchists threw a bomb into the square, killing eight police officers and wounding many protesters. Even though they were not involved, the public blamed the bombing on the Knights of Labor, spelling the end for one of the biggest resistance groups during the gilded age. -
"The Gospel of Wealth" is Published
Andrew Carnegie wrote an article called "The Gospel of Wealth" where he claims that it is the job of the rich to help out the poor. Carnegie's controversial views caused many different debates on the job of the rich in society, which in turn created many different views and opinions on the subject, majorly impacting the society of the gilded age. -
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The Pullman Strike
Workers of the Pullman Company went on strike after George Pullman cut their wage, but refused to lower rent on company houses to match said wage cuts. This is yet another example a major theme of the Gilded Age, as The Pullman Strike was put to an end when President Cleveland sent federal troops to crush the strike. -
U.S. Steel Becomes the World's First Billion Dollar Company
Companies like J.P. Morgan's U.S. Steel represent the gild in the name "The Gilded Age". Thanks to companies like U.S. Steel earning achievements like this, the U.S. was leading the worldwide industrial movement, making it seem like the U.S. was prospering.
