The Gilded Age

The second half of the 19th century. In much of the world, it was the "Victorian Era." In the United States, thanks to a phrase popularized by Mark Twain, we call it the "Gilded Age." It was a time when, viewing the surface, all looked right with the world, but, as the nickname suggests, also a time with serious problems lurking beneath. The United States had just come through a devastating Civil War. Large parts of the country were not settled, some even remained unexplored. America was not yet a major player in world affairs, although its economic and industrial power was rapidly expanding. Inventions in transportation and communication caused the country to see itself as a nation, not just a collection of communities. The country had massive social problems --- freed slaves seeking a place in society, workers and farmers seeking justice, urban areas seeking relief from dismal living conditions and civic corruption. In many ways, in this age, American society was beginning to define itself. Literature (with a capital L) and the lively arts flourished. Mass media rose to become the best in the world. The country had an abundance of larger-than-life characters in all walks of life. This course will consider all these aspects of American life in the Gilded Age. This period in American history set the baseline for the far-reaching changes of the 20th century.