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Political cartoon depicting historical figures engaging in conflict over a map of an island, with exaggerated features and actions.
A chart outlining arguments about the Gilded Age titans as "Robber Barons" or "Entrepreneurial Industrialists."
A large hand with a watch points down at a cartoonish map of New Jersey, depicting dominance and control.
Table comparing claims about urban bosses as service providers or corrupt politicians.

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness Chapter 9

43 items

Political cartoon depicting historical figures engaging in conflict over a map of an island, with exaggerated features and actions.
Were the Titans of the Gilded Age “Robber Barons” or “Entrepreneurial Industrialists”?
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Was the economic growth in the country during the Gilded Age justified if it was built on the backs of American workers? Mark Summers and John Steele Gordon debate this question.
A chart outlining arguments about the Gilded Age titans as "Robber Barons" or "Entrepreneurial Industrialists."
Were the Titans of the Gilded Age “Robber Barons” or “Entrepreneurial Industrialists” Graphic Organizer
Activity

Activity

40 Min

A handout to accompany the scholarly claims made in the corresponding Point-Counterpoint readings that helps student synthesize the claims put forth.
A large hand with a watch points down at a cartoonish map of New Jersey, depicting dominance and control.
Were Urban Bosses Essential Service Providers or Corrupt Politicians?
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Were urban leaders more like "Boss" Tweed, who is infamous for his corruption, or did most benefit their communities by providing services that local governments did not? Stephanie Hinnershitz and Mark Summers debate which narrative about these urban bosses was more accurate.
Table comparing claims about urban bosses as service providers or corrupt politicians.
Were Urban Bosses Essential Service Providers or Corrupt Politicians Graphic Organizer
Activity

Activity

40 Min

A handout to accompany the scholarly claims made in the corresponding Point-Counterpoint readings that helps student synthesize the claims put forth.
Cartoon of a rotund man with a dollar sign for a head, captioned about Tammany's victory at a convention.
Cartoon Analysis: Thomas Nast Takes on “Boss” Tweed, 1871
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Use this primary source imagery to analyze major events in history.
Map of the Union Pacific Railway and its connections across the United States, featuring various routes and locations.
The Transcontinental Railroad
Essay - 2622 Words

Essay

2622 Words

What were the societal impact of the transcontinental railroad?
Black and white photo of a bridge over water, with a steamboat passing beneath it.
The Brooklyn Bridge
Essay - 2146 Words

Essay

2146 Words

By the end of this section, you will explain the causes and effects of the settlement of the West from 1877 to 1898.
Black and white photo of an older man in a patterned coat and cap, standing by a stone railing outdoors.
Andrew Carnegie and the Creation of U.S. Steel
Essay - 2348 Words

Essay

2348 Words

Explore how Carnegie became one of the richest men in the U.S.
A mob of people hold clubs and crowd around a building.
The Homestead Strike
Essay - 2602 Words

Essay

2602 Words

Why did unions and management battle each other in the 1890s?
A graphic organizer with instructions for structured academic controversy, including assignment guidelines and time allocations.
Structured Academic Controversy Directions and Graphic Organizer
Activity

Activity

40 Min

A facilitation guide for a Structured Academic Controversy to address the themes of Is industrial progress as a positive force for human progress in the Andrew Carnegie and Henry George primary sources.
Text from a historical document discussing labor's role in economic production and the impact of capitalism from 1879.
Industrial Progress Primary Sources
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Andrew Carnegie and Henry George primary sources that share contrasting views on industrial progress.
A historical flag featuring symbols and text related to the Texas Alliance from 1878.
Ignatius Donnelly and the 1892 Populist Platform
Essay - 2871 Words

Essay

2871 Words

What sparked the rise of the Populist movement?
Excerpt from the 1892 Populist Party platform discussing economic hardships and political reform.
Populist Party Platform Excerpts
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Activity

Primary Source: Populist Party 1892 Platform Excerpts.
Document titled "Declaration of Principles of the Social Democratic Party," outlining party beliefs and objectives.
Social Democratic Party Platform Excerpts
Activity

Activity

Primary Source: Declaration of Principles of the Social Democratic Party.
A comparison table outlining differences between Populist and Socialist platforms from 1892 and 1898.
Comparison of Populist and Socialist Platforms
Activity

Activity

Compare and contrast the similarities and differences between the Populist and Socialist Party platforms.
Handout with instructions for analyzing civil and political rights in the Gilded Age timeline.
Civil Rights and Economic Freedom Student Packet
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Narrative and timeline content that showcase the major governmental and political actions as relates to Civil Rights and Economic Freedom during the Gilded Age.
Political cartoon depicting a man holding a cross and a crown of thorns, with labels referencing political themes.
William Jennings Bryan, “Cross of Gold” Speech, 1896
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.
Historic brick building with multiple windows and a peaked roof, known as Hull House in Chicago.
Jane Addams, Hull House, and Immigration
Essay - 2404 Words

Essay

2404 Words

How did Jane Addams help immigrants in the U.S.?
Portrait of Edward Bellamy alongside the cover of his book "Looking Backward."
Edward Bellamy, Looking Backward, 2000–1887, 1888
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.
Photograph of Ida B. Wells.
Ida B. Wells and the Campaign against Lynching
Essay - 1848 Words

Essay

1848 Words

How did Ida Wells fight for justice for African Americans?
The front page of a pamphlet titled Southern Horrors, Lynch Law in All Its Phases.
Ida B. Wells, “Lynch Law,” 1893
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.
An elderly man seated indoors, dressed in formal attire, with dark surroundings and soft lighting.
Plessy v. Ferguson
Essay - 2793 Words

Essay

2793 Words

How did Plessy v Ferguson affect segregation in the U.S.?
A historical black-and-white photo of a man speaking to a large crowd outdoors.
Booker T. Washington, “Speech to the Cotton States and International Exposition,” 1895
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.
Document detailing Booker T. Washington's speech at the Atlanta Cotton States Exposition, 9/18/1895.
Primary Sources: Washington and Du Bois
Activity

Activity

Two primary sources including Booker T. Washington's 'Speech before the Atlanta Cotton States and International Exposition', September 18, 1895 and W. E. B. Du Bois' 'Niagara Movement Speech', 1905.
Handout outlining activities and instructions for a civil rights and economic freedom student packet.
Structured Academic Controversy Handout
Activity

Activity

A facilitation guide for a Structured Academic Controversy to address the themes of Civil Rights and Economic Freedom in the Washington and Du Bois primary sources.
Image shows a crowd of American men beating Chinese men in the street and destroying their property.
The Chinese Exclusion Act
Essay - 2373 Words

Essay

2373 Words

By the end of this section, you will explain how cultural and economic factors affected migration patterns over time.
A caricature of Uncle Sam speaking to an immigrant at a gateway, depicting issues of immigration and nationality.
Cartoon Analysis: Immigration in the Gilded Age, 1882–1896
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Use this primary source imagery to analyze major events in history.
Handout titled "Background Essay: Immigrants and Industry" discussing industrialization and immigration trends in the 19th century.
Background Essay: Immigrants and Industry
Essay - 940 Words

Essay

940 Words

How did the increase in industrialization during the period 1865–1898 fuel immigration to the United States and what was the result?
Document titled "Handout B: Nevada Manifest" featuring a table with passenger details, including names, ages, and origins.
Nevada Manifest
Activity

Activity

Examine the manifest of the Nevada and analyze demographic information about the passengers of one voyage of one ship transporting immigrants to the United States.
Letter discussing work and recruitment challenges in the United States, dated February 10, 1891.
Letters from Polish Immigrants to Their Families in Poland
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Activity

Three letters that help students understand how the increase in industrialization fueled immigration and what was the results were.
Image of a document titled "Debate over Immigration Laws 1896-1897," discussing nativism and immigration issues.
Debate over Immigration Laws 1896–1897
Activity

Activity

In what ways did Henry Cabot Lodge and President Cleveland express different reactions to immigration and in what did those reactions reveal about American identity?
A rocky hill surrounded by tall pine trees under a clear blue sky with scattered clouds.
George Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn
Essay - 3156 Words

Essay

3156 Words

By the end of this section, you will explain the causes and effects of the settlement of the West from 1877 to 1898.
Promotional poster for Indian land for sale, listing properties and prices in various states. Historical context included.
The Dawes Act, 1887
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.
Black and white photograph of a group of ten Indigenous individuals posed outdoors, with a building in the background.
Images from the Carlisle Indian School, 1880s
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Use this primary source imagery to analyze major events in history.
Black and white photo of cowboys on horseback in an open field.
Cowboys and Cattle Drives
Essay - 2795 Words

Essay

2795 Words

Why do Americans romanticize the image of cowboys?
Table comparing claims regarding Frederick Jackson Turner's Frontier Thesis with summaries and issues discussed.
Was Frederick Jackson Turner’s Frontier Thesis Myth or Reality Graphic Organizer
Activity

Activity

40 Min

A handout to accompany the scholarly claims made in the corresponding Point-Counterpoint readings that helps student synthesize the claims put forth.
A man in period clothing sits at a desk surrounded by stacks of books and documents in a vintage office setting.
Frederick Jackson Turner, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History,” 1893
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.
The photograph shows marines lined up in a clearing surrounded by palm trees.
The Annexation of Hawaii
Essay - 2523 Words

Essay

2523 Words

Was the annexation of Hawaii an act of imperialism?
A document packet on Fredrick Jackson Turner's 1893 essay about the significance of the American frontier in history.
Primary Source Packet: Annexation of Hawaii
Activity

Activity

Seven primary sources that help students enter into the discussion foreign policy holders had about the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands.
Black and white portrait of a man with a mustache, wearing a suit and bow tie.
Grover Cleveland’s Veto of the Texas Seed Bill, 1887
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.
A historical image featuring W.E.B. Du Bois with text about African Americans in the Gilded Age and homework help.
African Americans in the Gilded Age | BRI’s Homework Help Series
Video

Video

5 Min

The first in our new Institute of History Series of Homework Help videos provides a general overview of the experience of African Americans during the pivotal years of the Gilded Age, from the 1860s to the early 1900s. Despite the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution after the Civil War, which abolished slavery and granted citizenship and voting rights to African American men, millions of African Americans across the nation still faced an uphill struggle for equality and civil rights. Political disenfranchisement was widespread and segregation in the form of "Jim Crow" laws affected nearly every facet of public and private life in the South. Many African Americans migrated from the South to the North and West during this period. This era also saw the rise of dozens of notable African American civil rights leaders including Ida B. Wells, Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, and W.E.B. Du Bois. Groups like the N.A.AC.P. were also established during this period to fight for the expansion of liberty and equality for African Americans.
5 Min
Illustration of "Boss" Tweed, with text referencing strength and homework help series by Bill of Rights Institute.
The Story of “Boss” Tweed | BRI’s Homework Help Series
Video

Video

5 Min

This first in our new Homework Help Evidence of History series tells the story of William "Boss" Tweed. Tracing his rise to political power in post Civil War New York City, a metropolis whose population was booming from an influx of European immigrants, this video explores the question of whether Tweed was a hero, a villain, or something in between. Examine the evidence and decide for yourself.
5 Min
A man stands beside a vintage engine, promoting BRI's Homework Help series on entrepreneurs' history.
Entrepreneurs: A History | BRI’s Homework Help Series
Video

Video

4 Min

"Entrepreneurs" is our latest Evidence of History Homework Help video focusing on the so-called "Robber Barons" or "Captains of Industry" of the late 19th and early 20th century, including Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, and Henry Ford. How did these men and those like them transform the U.S. economy during the Gilded Age, and what, if any, lessons do their stories have for us today? Watch and find out!
4 Min