APUSH Gilded Age DBQ Response

February 28, 2018

The Gilded Age was characterized by the era’s industry, immigration, and their resulting

effects on society and government as a whole. The resulting government response to domestic

business growth and the societal response to growing industry and immigrant populations

contributed to the evolution of financial affairs in America. This Age taught America the lesson of

compromise between laissez-faire and regulation for a healthier capitalist economy.

A large part of the Gilded Age was characterized by the swelling populations of

immigrants that arrived in America for better opportunities. These immigrants, lured by America

letters and job promises, heightened the level of job competition in the economy, giving rise to

nativist sentiment. This culminated in legislation and political leanings that were against

immigration (Doc. B). This Act, created by Congress in representation of the “native” Old

Immigrant populations, suspended the act of allowing Chinese laborers in the country. More

evidence of these growing public sentiments (Doc. F) can be found in Jacob Riis's How the

Other Half Lives. When this book arrived, it not only raised nativist sentiment against

immigrants, but perpetuated the unpreparedness that cities had for this new influx of

immigrants. The political impacts of inflating immigrant populations resulted in corrupt practices

as represented in cartoons of the era (Doc. H). These practices exploited the needs of

immigrants to maintain political power. This created disproportionate and unfair political

representation in many urban communities. Political practices such as these also raised more

nativist sentiment against the powerful groups that tip the political balance. The situation of

immigration in this Gilded Age echoed that of antebellum America to greater degrees.

The development of industry and business into booming successes created a close

relationship with American government that leaves lasting effects to this day. Yankee ingenuity

in subverting economic regulations have reached new highs in the exploitation of workers and

the law. The amount of money and monopolized power that industries had gave them power
over local and federal governments to adhere to financial interests. Similarly to political cartoons

of Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall, cartoons were drawn of these business tycoons and leaders

to represent their grasp on political discourse (Doc. E). These close connections to politics

taught the American government that a democratic state of union cannot easily coexist with a

monopolistic economy, as money overpowers representation. As these business tycoons had

little to no emotional connection to their workers, the workforce was seen as an expendable

resource. This created many issues with constituents, those who wanted better treatment from

employers. Employers, indifferent about the needs of their workers, extended this treatment to

other communities, laws, and people. As Vanderbilt said, “"I won't sue you, for the law is too

slow. I'll ruin you." This shows that without regulation on economic power, political power is

nothing. In light of these practices, the working population demanded change in the industrial

system (Doc. I) that supported monopolistic rule. This would show the government that laissez-

faire cannot be upheld without corruption, and that regulation is necessary to maintain a better

Union. It also brought the significance of labor unions to light. The economic successes and

discrimination of the Civil War Era North grew to higher degrees in this advanced industrial time.

With the rise of industry came the rise of labor unions. These unions supported labor

rights and were the power that workers had against their employers. This came in a desperate

time in the economy where many families began to rely on children for family income (Doc. C).

Without their inception, many working men, women, and children would continue to be taken

advantage of by business leaders, as they have for much of the Age. The necessity of labor

unions grew rapidly because of these conditions where most of the general population must

work to support themselves and their families (Doc. A). With so many working people, it became

easier to create organizations to represent them, although challenges of language and cultural

differences make it far from easy. After the successes of business leaders in subverting the

power of labor unions with government assistance, the Knights of Labor were created. Although

they didn’t represent the unskilled jobs of workers, the Knights still became a strong step
towards labor rights in this era (Doc. G), before an unfortunate (unpopular) end. The fight

between industrial lords and their servile employees was fierce in this Gilded Age of profit,

scheme, and protest.

Overall, the economic pursuits and advancements that carried the country in antebellum

and Civil War America brought them directly to the Gilded Age. An Age full of political

corruption, immigrant exploitation, and labor rights activism led America to its modern policies

on immigration, labor unions, and industry. In a fight between common man and economic

royalty, the underdog emerged victorious.