Essential Question: To what extent was the Gilded Age an era of opportunity?
The first five lessons introduce scholars to the complex impact of industrialism on the United States. Lesson 1 introduces scholars to the emergence of industrial society following the Civil War, and scholars will understand how a prosperous business economy emerged as a result of the industrial developments of the era. In Lesson 2, scholars will examine how these industrial changes led to the growth and development of American cities. In the DBQ, scholars will examine the extent to which the industrialists’ contributions to American society outweighed the detriments and rising economic inequality that resulted from their actions. By the end of these lessons, scholars will understand how the United States transformed into a modern, industrialized nation in the late 19th century and the complex impact this had on Americans’ wealth and well- being. Scholars will then be prepared to examine the impact of these transformations on the lives of Americans.
Lesson 1: American Industrialism (Gallery Walk)
- Central Question: How did industrialism transform the American economy following the Civil War?
Lessons 2–4: Robber Barons or Captains of Industry? (DBQ Writing)
- Central Question: To what extent were the industrialists of the 19th century “robber barons”?
Lesson 5: Urbanization (Source Analysis)
- Central Question: Why did American cities grow so rapidly in the late 19th century?
Lessons 6 through 8 introduce scholars to the consequences of industrialism for many Americans. Americans in cities felt this impact the strongest, and in Lesson 6, scholars will examine the new opportunities that industrialism afforded to Americans, as well as the new challenges it presented. In Lesson 7, scholars will debate this idea to determine whether the positive impact of industrialism on urban Americans outweighed the negative. Lesson 8 examines the experiences of immigrants to the United States — that of Chinese and Japanese immigrants to the West Coast and Eastern European immigrants to the East Coast. While immigrants, too, experienced many of the same opportunities and hardships of urban life, they also faced overt discrimination that made their experiences even more difficult. By the end of these lessons, scholars will be able to explain the complex impact of industrialism on urban life in the United States, and they will be prepared to learn how Americans challenged these inequities.
Lessons 6–7: Life in an Industrialized City (Jigsaw, Debate)
- Central Question: Did the opportunities for Americans in Gilded Age cities outweigh the hardships?
Lesson 8: The Land of Opportunity? (Jigsaw)
- Central Question: To what extent was the United States a land of opportunity for immigrants?
Lessons 9 through 12 continue to address the impact of industrialism on Americans and how industrialism inspired many Americans to organize together to fight for their rights and livelihoods. Lessons 9 and 10 introduce scholars to labor unions; these lessons explain how labor unions attempted to fight for better working conditions for laborers while also illustrating the many factors that limited the ultimate success of these unions in providing better opportunities to Americans. Lesson 11 challenges scholars to broaden their understanding of industrialism and understand how these rapid transformations affected life in the rural United States. This lesson prepares scholars to dive into their study of the Populist Movement, which emerged from the frustrations of rural farmers but ultimately became a national political party. Thus, in Lesson 12, scholars will examine how the Populist Party appealed to both those facing the hardships of farm life as well as workers in factories to become a powerful force in American politics. By the end of these lessons, scholars will be able to explain the complex impact of industrialism on American society and the extent to which Americans were successfully able to pursue and fight for their rights and opportunities.
Lessons 9–10: Labor Unions (Simulation, Jigsaw)
- Central Question: How successfully did labor unions fight for workers’ rights?
Lesson 11: Agrarian Discontent (Source Analysis)
- Central Question: How did industrialism affect the lives of rural Americans?
Lesson 12: Populism (Source Analysis)
- Central Question: Why did the Populist Party appeal to millions of Americans during the GIlded Age?