1. Why was 1880 – 1900 known as the Gilded Age?

- The Gilded Age in American History marked the rapid economic growth of the country.
Production of iron, steel, lumber, gold and silver increased. Railroads were also developed as
trains transported goods from West to East. Telephone lines were also developed for better
communication. This period was named after the title of Mark Twain’s book “Gilded” which
means “covered with gold on the outside, but not really golden on the inside.” America’s
economic growth provided opportunities for the people to create businesses and make a fortune
but many farmers and workers were struggling to survive. As a whole, the economy of America
is rapidly growing, which is the “covered with gold on the outside”, while “but not really golden
in the inside” means that there are still hundreds of people who are suffering despite the
economic growth of the country.

In this period there is a growing distance between the rich and poor. The Gilded Age is
often considered as a “period of greed and corruption, of brutal industrial competition and harsh
exploitation of labor.” Workers and farmers worked for longer hours and in dangerous conditions
for a low pay. Workers in modern factories were at the mercy of their employers. If a worker is
injured on the job caused by faulty machinery, the employer is not obliged to give compensation.
The workers are treated as “a mere machine”. They should follow everything their employers
command them to do. Women and children were also forced to find a job and earn for extra
income. At first, women and children were not allowed to work because they undercut wage
levels. But by 1890 18% of the labor force is consisted of children from ten to fifteen years old.
During this time American politics is plagued with corruption. City-level politics were
dominated by powerful organizations that exchanged jobs and contracts for political loyalty.

2. How did US become a colonial power?

- It started when U.S. gave support to the Cuban independence. It then became entangled
with Spain regarding the fate of Cuba. The Treaty of Paris in 1898 ended the war and gave Cuba
its independence. Some Spanish possessions were surrendered to U.S. Puerto Rico, Philippines
and Guam became U.S. colonies. Suddenly, it became a colonial power. America also used the
Manifest Destiny to justify the acquisition of California, the Oregon Territory and Alaska. It was
also applied to the proposed annexation of islands in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

America became a colonial power because of the factors that influenced it.
Geographically, the U.S. is the third largest country in the world by land area. It has a population
of 300 million, third most populous nation and the most populous with a high Human
Development Index. The economy of America has the largest national economy with a GDP of
over $12 trillion. With regards its military capability, it is considered as the world’s second
largest nuclear arsenal, they are the first one to create the atomic bomb. Many people would also
describe American leadership as strong and organized. All these factors influenced America to
become a colonial power.

Sources:
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/gilded/jb_gilded_subj.html
http://www.shmoop.com/gilded-age/
http://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/short-history/superpower
http://www.shmoop.com/gilded-age/summary.html
http://sageamericanhistory.net/gildedage/topics/gildedage2.html
Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009
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