Introduction to Industrialization & the Gilded Age

Introduction to Industrialization & the Gilded Age

1865-1900

Standard #1: Choices Have Consequences

Learning Objective:

Students will be able to recall and explain the impact of industrialization on the United States.

Historical Question:

How did the choices made by businessmen during the Gilded Age impact American society?

Open Ended

Quick-write: Answer the following question in 2-3 sentences.

From your experience and knowledge, explain what people do to become wealthy? What don't they do?

Multiple Choice

What does the term industrialization mean?

• When a society shifts from people working in factories to using computer technology.

• When a society shifts from most people working in factories to most people working on farms.

• When a society shifts from most people working on farms to most people working in factories.

• When people giving up all worldly possessions.

Multiple Choice

Why were the late 1800's called the Gilded Age?

• Everything was awesome for everybody.

• While it looked good on the outside because a few people were becoming rich, most Americans were struggling in poverty.

• Everyone was rich and lived in mansions.

• They found an alchemist who could transform common metal into gold.

Major Transformation

-Industrialization had a huge impact on people's lives.

-They went from working outside on farms to inside factories.

-From working with animals to machines.

-From performing many different tasks, to the same repetitive task for hours on end.

Multiple Select

What four factors helped the U.S. industrialize? Choose 4.

• There were a lot of natural resources.

• There were many immigrants coming into the nation to work.

• There were many farmers who wanted to work in factories.

• The government encouraged and supported businesses.

• People looked favorably at entrepreneurs/ businessmen.

Multiple Choice

What industry did Andrew Carnegie make his fortune in?

• oil

• airplanes

• steel

• coal

Multiple Choice

What industry did John D. Rockefeller make his fortune in?

• oil

• steel

• automobiles

• coal

Multiple Choice

Which inventor created the first long lasting light bulb?

• Nikola Tesla

• Steve Rodgers

• Thomas Edison

• Sam Winchester

Industrialists Economic Theory

Capitalism-an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state.

Simply put- Private companies goal is to make profit. The government doesn’t tell businesses what to do. Good companies thrive, bad companies die. Capitalism values individual freedom.

Multiple Choice

True or False: Capitalists (people who believe in capitalism) want everyone to be paid equally.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

According to the theory of capitalism, should the government regulate businesses by forcing them to have minimum wages or maximum work hours?

• YES

• NO

Multiple Choice

Who do capitalists believe should own and operate businesses?

• The public

• Private individuals

Multiple Choice

Which integration of manufacturing was eventually outlawed?

• Horizontal Integration

• Vertical Integration

Multiple Choice

What is it called when one company controls an entire industry?

• Trust

• Monopoly

• Cartel

• Life

Poll

From what you have learned so far, do you think businessmen/ industrialists of the Gilded Age were more like Robber Barons or Captains of Industry?

• Robber Barons

• Captains of Industry

Additionally, people were discriminated against due to their race and ethnicity.

Workers Struggle

10-12 hour work days .

6-7 days of work.

15 cents an hour.

No health benefits.

No vacation time.

Suffered layoffs. 

Same repetitive task each day.

Women & children worked & made less money than men.

Dangerous working conditions.

Discrimination against people because of their race or ethnicity.

Multiple Choice

What is it called when workers organize together to protect their rights?

• monopoly

• union

• strike

• scabs

Multiple Choice

What is it called when worker organizations refuse to work in protest?

• strikebreakers

• union

• strike

• cartel

Poll

Based on today's presentation, do you think the choices made by businessmen during the Gilded Age had a positive or negative impact on American society?

• It had a positive impact because there were new inventions that improved people's lives.

• It had a negative impact because most Americans were poor and worked in dangerous conditions.

• It was positive because it made the United States one of the richest countries in the world.

• It was negative because only a few people became rich while every one else didn't benefit.

Awesome work today!

We will investigate further into industrialization and the Gilded Age this week.