While monopolists contributed to America’s growth during the Gilded Age by investing in new

technologies and infrastructure, labor unions and Chinese Immigrants also made big
contributions by protecting workers rights and working in railroad and mining industries.
Starting off with Monopolists, whom in other words are rich individuals or companies, brought
in new innovation and growth in their fields of work. They controlled the production and
distribution of supplies and goods, and by doing so they invested in new technologies and
infrastructure, and that is what led to our big expansion of the industries, railroads, steel, and oil.
In Document 1, “The Powerful: Robber Barons and Captains of Industry”, in the column, How
did they shape America’s identity?…,it states, “Rockefeller’s Oil Company became the biggest
oil refinery in the world which was controlling more than 90% of the oil refining capacity in the
United States by the early 1900s. John’s company size and the power influenced and formation
of antitrust laws, shaped America’s economic identity.” This shows us an example of a
monopolist, which in this case is John D. Rockefeller, and its explaining to us how exactly John’s
new technological company of oil helped shape America by the power and help it contains.
Labor Unions helped to protect the workers rights and try their hardest to improve the workers
working conditions. Labor unions were known for starting strikes and organizing bargaining, and
by doing so, they were able to work it out for the better hours, better pay, and the safety
conditions of their workers. These organizations also had a positive impact on not only workers,
but the productivity and efficiency in industries was increased, which is what contributed to
America’s economic growth. In the, “Template Concept Map”, in Document 2, in the column,
Describe the labor union involved and what they fought for, it quotes, “The United Mine
Workers Union, they set up tents in the nearby hills, and carried on the strike from these tent
colonies. They fought for better wages, reasonable work hours, and safer working conditions.”
This shows us exactly what the Labor Unions have done. They helped the workers in need of
many different things, and they turned it into something great with strikes, etc.
As we also know, Chinese immigrants were also involved in the building and making of mining,
and railroads, and the agriculture. Their labor has helped by expanding and developing
industries. These Chinese immigrants have also worked for really low wages, lower than
American individuals. All of this gave America access to the American companies to minimize
the labor cost, and act fast, more effectively in the global markets. As it states in Document 3,
“The American Experience: Chinese Exclusion Act”, in the column, In what ways did Chinese
Immigrants contribute to America’s growth and development, “Building railroads and
mining (built or improved America's infrastructure).” This clearly just shows that Chinese
Immigrants who have built all these railroads and mined have had a huge impact on America’s
infrastructure. In all seriousness though, Chinese immigrants have faced serious discrimination,
which includes the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. In which that really minimized their
immigration into the United States.
Despite all of those challenges and negative factors these groups have gone through, they all
played very important roles in positively impacting America’s growth and the economy in whole
during the Gilded Age.