Name_____________________________________

Period__

Gilded Age Webquest

Directions:
Visit www.collegewritinghapa.weebly.com and go to the drop-down bar "11th Grade"
There, you will find the link to the Gilded Age Webquest. Click on the hyperlinks to find the
information you need.
Answer the following questions, writing complete, complex sentences. You may need to
write multiple sentences in order to fully answer a question. For all questions which
require a complex answer, 3 or more sentences are required. Click on the hyperlinks to find
your answers.

Section #1: The Gilded Age Webquest

Child Labor
1. Carefully read through the captions and review the picture on this site. Using bullet
points, list 10 observations based on what you see.

Credit Mobilier
2.

Who created the Credit Mobilier?

3.

Why was the company created?

4.

What did this scandal say about the politicians during the Gilded Age?

https://sites.google.com/site/turnbullsocialstudies/home/u-s/gilded-age-webquest

1876 Centennial
5. Take a tour of the 1876 Centennial. Using Bullet Points, list 3 interesting things you
found. How do you think people wouldve reacted to these things in 1876?

Inventions of the Gilded Age

6. Using Bullet Points, list 4-6 significant inventions during the Gilded Age. In 2-3 complex
sentences, explain how each improved life during this time period.

Grange
7. What group of people made up the Granger movement?

8. What were their specific complaints about the railroad?

The period after Reconstruction, lasting until about 1900, was known as the Guilded Age.

Section 2: Economic and Political Situation of the Gilded Age

1. Describe the stratification of American Society in the Gilded Age:

2. What specific groups were in the lowest part of Society?

3. Why did immigrants turn to political machines?

Next page: Carnivals of Revenge-link at bottom of first page.

4. How many strikes occurred in the 1880s? What are some reasons for the strikes?

5. What was governmental policy toward strikes?

6. What did laborers do in response to the hard line taken by factory owners and the
government?

7. What is the result of the labor-owner clashes?

Read through Millionaires Row and check out the houses of the wealthy industrialists-it
must be nice!
8. What two Robber Barons worked out of Pittsburgh?

Next link: go to People and Events; click on Herbert Spencer (the funny looking guy)
9. Summarize the theory put forth by Spencer in his philosophy of Social Darwinism:

Next link: http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/faculty/campbell/enl311/1870.htm

On the bottom of this sheet, using the timelines for the 1870s, 1880s, and 1890s, create a
chronological list of 7-10 important economic and political events of the Gilded Age
such as mergers, deals, scandals, strikes, etcorganize by date! Label each as either
economic or political

Analysis Question:
11. What is the main cause of all the turbulence of the Gilded Age? Explain:

Section 3: Issues of the Gilded Age

1.

What author is responsible for coining this phrase?

2.

What were some of the positive and negative characteristics of this time period?
Describe 3 positives and 3 negatives.
POSITIVE:

NEGATIVE:

Tension among minority groups, as well as between minorities and the dominant culture,
was a common issue in the 1800s. Check out this political cartoon.

3.

Identify the three figures in the cartoon, and what each represents. What clues tell
you their identities?

4.

What is the main idea of this cartoon? What does the author want you to know or
think about?

5.

Do you think this cartoonist is pro- or anti-immigrant? Explain your response.

Many Mexican-Americans living in the Southwest were furious that property once used
communally was now being deeded and sold to individual owners. One group that
protested this was Las Gorras Blancas.
6.

What does Las Gorras Blancas translate to in English?

7.

What two groups were the primary targets of Las Gorras Blancas?

8.

What tactics were used by this group in its efforts to achieve its goals?

Susan B. Anthony was a prominent leader in the quest for womens suffrage.

1.

For what crime was Susan B. Anthony put on trial?

2.

What controversial move was taken by the judge once the lawyers had finished
their arguments?

3.

What punishment was imposed on Susan B. Anthony after the verdict?

Corruption was not uncommon during the Gilded Age. One of the most infamously crooked
government officials of the time was William Marcy Tweed.

12. In what city did Boss Tweed operate?

13. What questionable/illegal activities were practiced by Boss Tweed and the Tweed
Ring? How much money did these men cost the city?

14. Name the two prominent individuals who helped to take down the Tweed Ring, and
explain how each contributed.

15. Check out this political cartoon that appeared in Harpers Weekly. What point is the
cartoonist making?

16. What happened to Boss Tweed in the end?

During the Gilded Age, America elected a series of...lets call them less-than-stellar
presidents.

17. Explain what James Garfield was doing for the last three months or so of his time as
president.

18. How did Chester A. Arthur become president of the United States?

19. What makes Grover Cleveland unique as a president? (And no, its not that he was
born in Jersey!)

20. What two important events in Clevelands personal life occurred while he served as
POTUS?

21. What was unusual about Benjamin Harrisons win in the Election of 1888?