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Transcontinental Railroad
The transcontinental railroad helped bring together the east and west. It also allowed for the better development of the railroad industry. The transcontinental railroad also contributed to the later event of Indian removal and the eradication of buffalo. The transcontinental railroad was chosen as one of the top ten for its significance in allowing for the better developments of the gilded age. -
Credit Mobilier
Company created to build the union pacific railroad. In 1872 it was discovered that credit mobilier bribed congressmen to gain federal subsidies for the construction of the railroad. This event was chosen as one of the top ten events of the gilded age because it signifies the true corruption of the era. -
Panic of 1873
The panic of 1873 was a financial crisis that left not only the United States in a depression but also most of Europe. This event was chosen for the gilded age top ten events because it signifies the hardships of the working and lower class in the gilded age -
The Farmers Alliance
Farmers organization in the 1870's and 1880's that supported government regulation of the railroad, establishment of an income tax, and cheap money to help the farmers. This event was chosen for the gilded age top ten for its significance in portrayal of new and upcoming labor organizations as well as the hardships and true reality of most farmers during the gilded age. -
Railroad strike of 1877
Strike triggered by wage cuts for railroad workers that spread nation wide. President Rutherford B. Hayes sent troops to end the strike. This event was chosen for the top ten gilded age events because it is showing how frustrated the working men and women were for the low pay and long hours; showed the emergence labor strikes which led to workers joining labor unions. -
Pendleton Act
Was a civil service reform created in order to regulate corruption. It stated that positions in the government should be awarded to the people with merits rather than political affiliation. This event was chosen in the top ten because it shows how corrupt the government was during the gilded age which was usually being bribed by the monopolies creating greater hardships for the working and lower class. -
Hay market Square Riot
After police fired into a crown of 100,000 protesting workers in Chicago, the workers met and rallied in hay market square to protest police brutality. a bomb exploded, killing or injuring many of the police, promoted anti-union and anti-immigrant feelings. This event was chosen because it shows the rise of nativism and anti union feelings in the gilded age. -
American Federation of labor
nationwide labor union that by the 1890's was open only to skilled , white workers. The AFL was known as a "bread and butter" union because it sought conditions rather than transform american society. This event was chosen for because it shows the emergence of labor unions which were highly controversial in the gilded age; it also depicted the harsh working conditions for men, boys, and women in the era. -
Dawes severalty act
law that intended to break up Indian reservations into individual farms and turn American Indians into home steaders. Designed to end common ownership of the land. Surplus lands were sold to raise money for Indian education. This event was chosen to show how further tensions were rising between the whites and the Indians which led into several battles that ended with the Indians removal in the west. -
Sherman Anti Trust act
Was the first federal act that outlawed monopolistic business practices. this event was chosen because it highlighted the issue of big monopolies in the gilded age such as the rocker feller oil company. The monopolies then led to the further bribery and corruption of the United States government.