Questions to respond to:
• What and when was the Gilded Age (why "Gilded")?
• What were the major characteristics of the second industrial revolution"? (What caused the explosive economic growth and drive to industrialize?)
• Explain why industrialists like Carnegie and Rockefeller might be considered either "captains of industry" or "robber barons". (Can you make an argument for both?)
• How do you explain the rise of BIG corporations during the Gilded Age? (Consider: pools, trusts and monopolies for example.)
• What were the effects of Gilded Age industrialization on different types of workers? (How were different workers affected differently? Explain.)
• Overall, what do you think were the most important consequences of rapid economic growth and industrialization during this time period?
• What did the Democratic and Republican political parties stand for in the 1880s? Who, in general, supported which party and why?
• What are some of the most interesting and/or important examples of political corruption during the Gilded Age? Explain.
• What were some of the important ideas underlying and explaining the nature of Gilded Age industrialization and the 1870s-1890 political economy?
• What did you find interesting or important? What stood out to you and why? What would you like to learn more about?
• What questions do you have? What is fuzzy or unclear?
Be sure to:
• Make one or more references to the reading assignment.
• Make one or more references to at least one website or news article.
• Respond to one or more of the questions posed above.
• Respond to at least one classmate.
• Practice good netiquette and also be mindful that the topic of race is a sensitive one! It is OK if we disagree with each other, but the conversation must remain respectful and academic.
• Write at least one "meaty" paragraph (200-300 words) in your initial post and ~100 words in your reply post