Chapter 15 Section Three – The Gilded Age

Chapter 15 Section Three – The Gilded Age

I. A Changing Culturei. Corruption, poverty, crime and great disparities in wealth lay just

below the surfacea. The Idea of Individualism

i. People could rise in society as far as their talents could take them. b. Social Darwinism

i. . Herbert Spencera. Society evolves through competition and natural selectionb. “Survival of the Fittest”c. Fit with laissez-faire economics

b. Darwinism and the Churchi. Theory of evolution caused controversy in the church (against creation story)ii. Some said evolution may have been God’s way of creating the world

c. Carnegie’s Gospel of Wealthi. Those who accumulate wealth have the responsibility to engage in philanthropyii. Use their fortunes to benefit society

II. Realismi. An attempt to portray people as they are

a. Realism in Arti. Portrayed everyday life

b. Mark Twaini. Huck Finn – Distinctly American characters

III. Popular Culturei. Improved standard of living allowed people to spend money on recreation

a. The Salooni. Became “community centers” ii. Political centers

b. Amusement Parks and Sportsi. Coney Island – New Yorkii. Professional boxingii. Professional Baseball – Cincinnati Red Stockings 1889

a. First world series in 1903iii. College football – Began at elite private universitiesiv. Basketball invented in 1891

c. Vaudeville and Ragtimei. Vaudeville – Fast moving theatre acts

Chapter 15 Section Four – The Birth of Reform

I. Social Criticismi. We could only solve our societal problems if the government took a

more active role in regulating the economy and helping those in need\a. Henry George and Progress and Poverty

i. Harshly criticized wealth inequity. ii. May reformers looked to his book – although flawed

b. Reform Darwinism – Lester Wardi. People succeeded not because of their ability to compete, but their

ability to cooperateii. Said competition was wasteful and government could regulate the economy, cure poverty and promote education better than competition

in the marketplace

c. Looking Backwardi. Edward Bellamy (1888) – Began to promote socialism

II. Naturalism in Literaturei. Said that leaving society and the economy unregulated often did not lead to the best resultsii. Jack London – Power of the wildernessiii. Pursuit of wealth and power destroyed character

III. Helping the Urban Poori. Salvation Army and YMCA

a. The Social Gospeli. Worked to improve cities according to the biblical teachings of charity and justiceii. The Church must either condemn the world and seek to change it, or tolerate and conform to it

b. The Salvation Army and the YMCAi. Salvation Army – Practical aid and religious counseling to urban poorii. YMCA – Organized Bible study and citizenship training for industrial workers

c. Revivalism and Dwight Moodyi. Wanted to redeem souls and reform character

d. The Settlement House Movementi. Attracted idealists who wanted to improve the lives of the urban poorii. Built many settlement houses across the U.S.

IV. Public Educationi. Developed from a demand for higher skilled workers

a. The Spread of Schoolsi. 17.3 million children attended schools by 1900 (up from 6.5 in 1870)ii. Americanization – Schools helped assimilate children into American cultureiii. Some African-Americans started their own schools (Tuskegee 1881)

b. Education for the Workplacei. Attendance, neatness and efficiency in grammar schoolii. Technical and vocational skills in high schools

c. Expanding Higher Educationi. Land Grant colleges across the Midwestii. 157,000 students by 1900

d. Public Libraries i. Free libraries made education available to city dwellersii. Carnegie strongly supported libraries – Donated millions