The Gilded Age: Wealth, Corruption, and the New America
Fexingo History · North America
The Gilded Age: Wealth, Corruption, and the New America
The Gilded Age (c. 1870–1900) was an era of explosive growth and stark inequality in the United States. Lucas and Luna unpack the fortunes of industrial titans like Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and J.P. Morgan, whose steel, oil, and banking empires reshaped the nation. They explore the dark side of progress: the corruption of city bosses like New York’s Boss Tweed, the brutal labor struggles at Homestead and Pullman, and the plight of millions of immigrants flooding through Ellis Island. The show also examines the era’s cultural upheavals — the rise of vaudeville, the birth of the skyscraper, and the populist revolt of William Jennings Bryan. Why does the Gilded Age matter today? Its battles over income inequality, corporate power, and immigration still echo in our politics.
