Overview
Progress! Industry! Invention! New technology! The Gilded Age was one of the most dynamic, contentious, and volatile periods in American history. You'll learn about the captains of industry, robber barons, and the Steve Jobs of yesteryear here.
Objectives
By the end of this unit, you should be able to
- explain the causes and major events of the Gilded Age.
- understand why and how captains of industry became wealthy in the Gilded Age.
- analyze how industrial development creates wealth disparities.
- spot a monopoly when you see one and explain how free markets support monopolies.
- understand the whole "inventions driving industry" thing going on.
- know what the deal was with early labor movements.
- get how unions became, well, unionized.
- explain how those anarchists and commies got their start in the United States.