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Over 300,00 workers demonstrate on behalf of an 8 hour work day.
Over 300,00 workers demonstrate on behalf of an 8 hour work day. -
Period: to
Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant
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A golden spike is driven into a railroad tie at Promontory Point, Utah.
A golden spike is driven into a railroad tie at Promontory Point, Utah. -
John D. Rockefeller forms Standard Oil of Ohio.
John D. Rockefeller forms Standard Oil of Ohio. -
The Great Chicago Fire claims 250 lives and destroys 17,500 buildings.
The Great Chicago Fire claims 250 lives and destroys 17,500 buildings. -
Montgomery Ward begins to sell goods to rural customers by mail.
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Women's Christian Temperance Union is founded.
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Alexander Graham Bell patents the telephone.
The invention of the telephone was significant to the Gilded Age because it sped up and increased global communication. The telephone increased the capacity for real-time interaction at a distance and enabled people to communicate daily. -
Period: to
Presidential Term of Rutherford B. Hayes
Hayes oversaw the end of Reconstruction and made significant contributions toward mending the division between the North and the South after the Civil War. -
Thomas Edison invents the phonograph.
The phonograph was used for mechanical recording and the reproduction of sound. It was mainly used for playing music. Because it was marketed to regular people, the invention of the phonograph played a crucial role in the development of home entertainment. It also facilitated the diffusion and transmission of ideas and cultures. -
P.T. Barnum opens his three-ring circus, hailing it the "Greatest Show on Earth."
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Period: to
Presidential Term of Chester A. Arthur
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Congress passes the Chinese Exclusion Act, barring Chinese immigration for ten years.
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Joseph Pulitzer purchases the New York World from Jay Gould.
The New York World Magazine served as a primary media outlet for the Democratic party at the time. In addition, it also exhibited classic American authors. Today's prestigious Pulitzer Prize award was named after Joseph Pulitzer. -
Congress passes the Pendleton Act, establishing a Civil Service Commission and filling government positions by a merit system.
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The Supreme Court rules that the Civil Rights Act of 1875 only forbids state-imposed discrimination, not that by individuals or corporations.
The Supreme Court's ruling allowed further discrimination against African Americans. Their ruling allowed corporations to deny employment to those deemed unfit- the blacks. -
Railroads in the U.S. and Canada adopt a system of standard time.
Suggested by Charles David, an atronomer, railway time was the standardized time arrangement between countries. This was the first recorded occasion in which local times were synchronized. -
Construction begins in Chicago on the first steel skeleton building.
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Period: to
Presidential Term of Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland was the first Democrat elected since the end of the Civil War. He was the only president to leave the White House and return several years later for a second term. Cleveland's presidency focused largely on building back trust with the South. -
The Haymarket Square bombing in Chicago kills seven police officers and wounds sixty.
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President Cleveland unveils the Statue of Liberty.
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Samuel Gompers forms his organization, the American Federation of Labor.
The AFL was a loose grouping of several smaller craft unions. Every member of the AFL was a skilled worker. The AFL gave the workers a voice and strength in numbers. It eventually became the largest and most influential federation in the world. -
The Interstate Commerce Act is issued.
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Period: to
Presidential term of Benjamin Harrison
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Congress passes the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.
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James Naismith, a physical education instructor at the YMCA Training College, invents basketball.
In early December 1891, Dr. James Naismith was trying to keep his class active on a rainy day. He yearned to develop a vigorous indoor game that would allow his class to stay physically fit throughout the harsh New England winters. He developed the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto an elevated track. This invention gave Americans something to do with their leisure time. Basketball is now one of the most popular sports across the globe. -
Ellis Island opens to begin screening immigrants.
Ellis Island served as a federal immigration station for more than sixty years. During those sixty years, millions of immigrants passed through the station. The extreme influx of immigrants encouraged the spreading of cultures and customs all throughout the U.S. It is estimated that about 40% of Americans can trace one of their ancestors to Ellis Island. -
Homestead Steelworkers strike begins.
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The Populist Party is founded.
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Period: to
Grover Cleveland's second presidential term
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Workers at the Pullman car plant go on strike.
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The Supreme Court strikes down on incime tax.
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William Jennings Bryan electrified the Democratic convention with his "Cross of Gold" speech and received the party's nomination.
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Period: to
Presidential term of William Mckinley
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Andrew Carnegie sells U.S. Steel to JP Morgan.
